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GEOPROFILES GEOGRAPHY OF THE UK AND THE USA STUDENT'S BOOK GEOGRAFIA MARII BRITANII $r A STATELOR UNtrE ALE AMER|CII

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Consultant: Jim Moore, Liverpool Hope University College, UK Project Manager: Ruxandra Popovici, British Council, Romania The authors would like to thank: . Jim Moore, Liverpool University UK, for invaluable support and professional guidance throughout the Project . ilt tne teachers and students who piloted their materials and sent very useful comments and suggestions

Coperta:Torok Emese Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Nalionale a Rom6niei Geoprofiles / Rodica Maria Rogoz, I1dik6 Krisztina Dobolyi, Florina P[unescu, Doina Miloq - E d. a 2-a SfdntuGheorghe; Charta,2005 rsBN 973-8326-17-6

I. Rogoz, Rodica Maria IL Dobolyi Ildik6 Krisztina

III. P5unescu, Florina IV. Milog, Doina et3(420)(07 s.3s) 9 1 3(73(075.35) 371.241.19

Acknowledgements The following diagrams, graphs, maps and photographs are reproduced or adapted from the sources mentioned below: Fig.1.2, 1.3-FocusonBritainToday,ClareLavery,Macmillan,

',

I

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I 1

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1993, f19.1.6, 11.4-ExploringSeasideTowns,

WaylandPubllshers,Ltd.lggT; fig.3.'1-AGeographyofBritain,byA.R.TolsonandM.G.Johnstone,Oxford,l9T0; fig.3.4,4,7,5.1,5.4, 8.1,8.2 - Geographyfor GCSE, Vincent Bunce, Longman;fig.3.7 -Aspects of Britain and the USA, Ch.Garwood, G,Gardani, E.Peris,Oxford,2001;fi9.7.5 -www.strath.co.uk, fig.10.2 -The British lsles by David Waugh; fig.10.7 - Key Geography - Foundations, David Waugh, Tony Bushell, 1991, Nelson Thornes fig.1 www.bedandbreakfasts-uk.co.uk; fig.12.3 - www.homepeace.com; fig.'12.6 - www.Californiapictures.com; 1i9.12.7 www.varleypix.com; fig.13.1 - www.innermostimagery.com; fi9.13.4 - www.worldexperience.com; fig.13.11 - Geog 1'1989; fig,15.8,16.1- The R. Gallagher, R. Parish, J. Williamson, Oxford, 2001 ; fi9.14.7 - World Geography, Glencoe, United States by R. Crickner; fig.19.6 - Portrait of the USA, United States lnformation Agency, 1997; fi1.19.2 -

www.dustydavis.com;fig. [email protected]; fi9.19.9'19.10

www.grandcanyonexcursions.comJig. 20,2 - quarto.typepad.com; fig. 20.3 - www.americansouthwest.net; fi1.20.4' www.wikipedia.com; fig.20,7 - 1999 maps.com, fig.20,9 - www.napavinters.com; fig.20.11 - www.bobpenon.com; fig. 19.3, '19.4, 20.12,21.3,21.4, - Michelin Travel Publication, USAEast,2000;f]g.21.9 -www.swissherp.org ;21.10 www.usahosts,com;!ig.22.2 - Classroom Atlas - Rand McNally, '1990; fig.22.3 - www.peakware.com, fig. 22.4 - An American Portfolio USIA;;fi9.22.6 - [email protected]; fi9.22.7 -picturepoint.com.

The publisher and authors would like to express their thanks for the kind permission to adapt and use the above mentioned copyright material.

Every effort has been made to trace all the owners of copyright and to settle permission to reproduce text and illustration, but the publishers will be glad to put right any omissions at the first opportunity.

CopyrightO 2005 by Charta Copyright@ 2005 by British Council

Tipdrit la S.C. Charta S.R.L. 520008 Sf. Gheorghe; Str. G6bor Aron 14 Tel. 0267-31 5279; E-mail: [email protected]

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OVERVIEW OF GONTENTS A FRAMEWORK FOR GEOGRAPHY AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT Knowledge

Lesson/ Topic

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

and

Main Language Aspects

Understandinp

l. Here are the British Isles

Name and location of the

Identifying places

British Isles Coasts of Britain

Using maps

processes

- types

and

Drawing maps Interpreting geographical relationships Analysing geographical

Environment- Global warming

phenomena

Vocabulary related to location, types of coastline, physical processes Ways of expressing location Defining geographical terms Speaking

Reading for specific information

Linking and developing ideas Problem-solving Summarizing information

Page

I

2. The Relief of the

British Isles

Forms of

relief

Identiffing physical geography

Physical features Rock structure Environment- Tourism

features on the map Drawing maps

Organizing information in a chart

form Drawing diagrams Completing information gaps Ordering in logical sequence Analysing and comparing

Vocabulary related to physical features

Reading for gist Translating Writing descriptive paragraphs Cross-curricular transfer from literature

information Identifying causes of phenomena

Page

12

3. Weather and

climate

Difference between weather and climate Factors affecting climate Temperature

Precipitation Case study: London's microclimate Environment: Fog/smog

Interpreting maps Interpreting isotherms Interpreting graphs Drawing graphs Organizing information Identiffing causes and effects of phenomena Giving reasons

Vocabulary related to weather and climate Speaking - Describing graphs Reading for gist Reading for specific information Ways of expressing information on types ofweather

I

I I

i I

Page

{6

4. The Waters

of

the British Isles

Rivers Lakes Water problems Case study: The Lake

District Environment: pollution the river Thames

Page

I-

2O

of

Interpreting maps Completing information gap

Vocabulary related to rivers and

Interpreting diagrams

- Describing shapes Reading for specific information Writing a newspaper article

Interpreting pictures Applying generalizations to solve geographical problems Applying information to chart Transferring graphic information into text Synthesising information

Iakes Speaking

/

f''\'

Knowledge Lesson/ Topic

and

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

Main Language Aspects

Understanding 5. Population

Britain

of

Population distribution Density and conurbations Population change

Migration Population structure Environment: The impacl of migration

Page

Processing information

Transferring figures to charl Creating a flow-chart Making logical connections Transfering graphic information into text Identifying cause and effect

Vocabulary related to population, population changes and population structure Speaking Ways of drawing conclusions and making generalizations Reading

24

6. Settlements

Classification

Interpreting diagrams

Vocabulary related to types

Pattems and land use Spatial pattems of economic and social

lransferring infomation to

of settlements Speaking Explaining

well-being Urban settlements The rural-urban fringe Case study: London Environment: Greenwich

Page

Interpreting maps and graphs

graphs

Analysing the intelrelationship between communities and settlements

Comparing spatial patterns Creating diagrams Analysing points of view

phenomena Reading for gist

Reading for specific

information

28

7. Energy

Resources

Types ofenergy Traditional and altemative energy resources

Environment: Sustaining our future

Interpreting graphs Creating pie charls Transferring graphic information into text Analysing information energy resources

Vocabulary related to types of energy resources Speaking: Expressing opinions Reading for gist

Reading for specific

information

I I

Page

\\

8.

32

lndustry

Classifi cation of industry

Location ofindustry Industriai change Case study: South Wales Environment: pollution

\

Analysing industrial factors Interpreting maps

Inferring causes and effects of economic phenomena

Linking a categorv to its feafures

Classifuing

Identifying reasons Cornparing and contrasting Problem solving

Page 9.

Farming

Factors influencing Types of faming Recent changes in

farming Farming systems Case study: The removal ofhedgerows Environment: Effects of farming

Page 4O

I

Speaking -defining terms Ways of organizing ideas, expressing personal opinion both in oral and wrinen form

Reading for gist Reading for specific

information Summarizing information

Writing paragraphs

36 farming

[.*

Vocabulary related to industry

Interpreting maps Analysing factors influencing

faming Transferring information to table

Creating a flowchart Dehning activities

Vocabulary related to farming Speaking - Explaining phenomena Reading for gist Writing letters

Lesson/.Topic

lO.Transport

Knowledge and Understandino

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

Features of transport in

theUK

Page

Tourism in the T]K

Case study: The Channel

Applyrng information to solve

Tunnel Environment: Effects transport

Giving reasons

problems

of

Vocabulary related to transport Reading for gist Reading for specific

information Summarizing information Writing - complex sentences

Explaining phenomena

Types ofrecreational

Interpreting charts

activities Changing pattems in the British tourist industry National Parks in the UK Case study: Snowdonia Environment: Ecotourism

Classiffing information Defining goreral terms Applying information to tables

Location of the USA Time zones in the USA USA administrative structure American Celebrations

Reading maps Locating borders

Comparing features of national parks

Vocabulary related to tourism and recreation Speaking - Describing traditions Reading for specific

information Reading for gist Summarizing information

48

Revision

Page

Types oftransport Traffic aspects

disadvantages of transport modes Interpreting maps and charts

44

11. Recreation and

Page

Identiffing advantages and

Main LanguageAspects

-UK

52

Project work -

Tiavelling in the

UK Page

54

Country Fact

File-UK

Page

55

12. Welcome to

the USA

\

Page

Establishing geo graphical coordinates

Vocabulary related to location,' time zorie and administrative

divisions Antonyms

Identifuing time zones on the

Ways of speaking about

map Transferring infonnation to table Applying information to solve geographical problems

location Reading for specific

Reading maps Transferring information fr om map to text Completing charts

Vocabulary related to relief, landscape origin, types of relief, natural hazards Ways of describing landscape

information Summarizing information

56

13. The Face

the l,.and

of

Types of r_elief in the USA Fonnation oflandscape Features ofmountain ranges Case study: Deserts

Environment: Mt. St.Helens

and natural phenomena

Reading for specific

information Summarising information

Page

60

l* -- -',/-

Knowledge Lesson/ Topic

and

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

Main Language AsPects

Understanding 14. Climate and

Weather

Climate types in the USA The weather Severe weather conditions Climate hazards Case study: El Niflo Environment: Drought

Reading maps Completing maps

The rivers The lakes

Reading maps Deciding on different sources

15. The waters

of the USA

Geysers Case study: The Colorado

River Environment: The Everglades

Page

Writing paragraphs Writing weather forecasts Ways of presenting geograPhical

information in written form

of

information Organising information Classifying lakes and rivers Analysing the uses ofnatural resources

Natural environment in the USA

Identifying the causes and

Features of a region Types of geography and

Reading maps Defining a geographical region Analysing geographical features Synthesising geographical aspects Rearranging information logically

Vocabulary related to rivers, lakes. floods Reading for gist Reading for specific information Rearranging information logically Ways of summarizing and presenting information orallY

consequences of natural disasters

68

The regions of the USA

their areas ofinterest

I

'I

Decision-making by applying information on climate and weather Drawing parallels Problem-solving

64

Page

16.

Vocabulary related to climate and weather, climate hazards Reading for specific information

Vocabulary related to tyPes of geography and their area of interest Speaking Reading for specific information

I

I I

,i l:

Page

I !

73 Northeast

17. The

l\

\

''Boswash" Megalopolis: physical features, economy, population New England: physical features, economy,

population New York Washington D.C. Environment: NewYork

Reading maps Interpreting maps Applying information to table Applying information to maP Summarizing information to present New York

Vocabulary related to physical features, economy, population,

urban development, Speaking -Interviewing

Reading for gist Reading for specific information Summarizing Presenting information in written

form

Landfi11

Pzge74 18. The

Interior

Plains

The Central Plain The Great Plains Physical features

Agriculture Industry Urban areas and population Fact file on Chicago Case study : Boom and Bust in the Great Lakes States

lnterpreting maps Finding evidence to support opinions Applying information to table Identifuing reasons for farming location Identifying reasons for industry location

Vocabulary related to physical features, agriculture, economy, mineral resources, urban develoPment Speaking - giving reasons

Reading for gist Reading for specific information Summarizing

Thinking critically Problem-solving

Page

7A

--=*-

_.,--

Knowledge

Lesson/ Topic

and

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

Main Language Aspects

Understandins 19. The Rocky

Mountains Region

Page

Introduction to the region The Rocky Mountains The Intermontane Plateaus Basin Physical features Human and economic factors Culture and tourism National Parks Case study: The Grand Canyon

Reading maps

Introduction to the region Physical features Human aspects Economic aspects

Reading maps

Interpreting pictures

IdentiSing the effects of natural phenomena

Identifying relationship between location and settlements

Vocabulary related to physical features, human and economic factors, tourism, geological structure Speaking

Reading for gist Reading for specific information

82

20. The Pacific Coast Area

California Case study : The Central

Discriminating between related notions Creating time lines Interpreting illustrations Synthesising information

Vocabulary related to physical features, economy, region development Speaking -describing illustrations Reading for gist Reading for specific information

Reading maps

Vocabulary related to physical

Organising information Analysing geographical features of a region Identifying relationship between physical features and economic development Finding reasons for ecological

features, economy, coastal ecological management Speaking -expressing personal

Valley

Page

86

21. The South

Introduction to the region Physical features: The Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Gulf Plain, The Appalachian Highlands Human and Economic Aspects

The Southern Coastline Case study: Wetland Protection in Louisiana Environment: Coastal

opinion Reading for gist Reading for specific information

management

Resources Texas Page

9O

22.The Newest States

Page

Page

- UK

98

Project work Travelling in the USA Page lOO State Flags of the USA Page

lol

- Introduction

Physical features Hawaii - Introduction Physical features Alaska -Human Aspects Economic aspects Hawaii - Human aspects Economic Aspects

94

Revision

Alaska

Reading maps Giving reasons Connecting related ideas

Vocabulary related to physical

Synthesising information Applying information to compare and contrast

Speaking -making oral presentations

features, human aspects and

economy

Reading for gist Reading for specific information Superlatives

/=

"Y

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A, Discussion points Why do you think the key terms and ideas mentioned above are important to the topic of the lesson? What other things come to your mind when you think of Britain ?

B.

The British Isles. Name and Location

1. Read the text below and identify the places mentioned on the map. The British /s/es are situated off the north west coast of Europe. They are represented by a large island called Great Britain and a smaller island called /reland (whose Southern part is politically independent).The British lsles also include a few hundred small islands, lying at varying distances from the coasts in the surrounding waters.

Fig. 1.1. Britain's location in Europe

2" a. Work in pairs to fill in the table on the right with the latitude and the longitude of the two main islands mentioned above. Notice the O0 longitude (Zero Meridian or Prime Meridian) which passes through the lnternational Time Measure of Greenwich, east of London.The local time is the standard time for Britain, from which most other world times are calculated.

b.

i

Give the boundaries of the British lsles. Fill in the table below.

I

North

I I

South

East

West

Great Britain is the name of the island, padt of the British lsles, which is made up of

\

and

I

\

\

3. Match the description of the two maps with their appropriate names Take into consideration the

aspects: The term "Britain" is normally used to ddscribe the whole country. Britain's full title for constitutional and international affairs is THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND (the UK). It is part of the British lsles. The countries belong to the same kingdom and the people's nationality is British

Fig 1.2 The United Kingdom

Fig.1.3 Great Britain

NZ

8

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C. The Coasts of Britain - Types and processes

,$

4. Read the following text to find out the main types of coasfline in

3tr

Britain. Britain's coastline is very irregular. There are many indentations around the British coastline. The most typical types of coasUines are:

r/B

Es.tya.ry = a funnel-shaped river mouth which results from flooding of

tidal areas. Some of them contain ports such as London, Liverpool and Glasgow.

Firth fiord) = a drowned glaciated valley formed mosfly in Scofland after the lce Age. Ria = a river valley drowned by the postglacial rise in sea-level. Peninsula = a tract of land, large or small, projecting into a body of water, having water on three sides. They are common in Cornwall, Devon and Wales, Sfraifs and Channels = narrow stretches of water, which separate two bodies of land (e.9. the Strait of Dover, the English Channel). The seas around the coasts are quite shallow because Britain lies on the Continental Shelf. 5. What processes affect the coasts of the UK?

sea.

The coastline is constantly changing because of the work of the Some parts are eroding to form cliffs while others are building up to form beaches. Consequently, most places in Britain are less than 75 miles (120 km) from the sea,

Fig.1'4. Types of coastlines in the UK

The sea-level around the coast is always changing for another reason. The rise and fall of the sea produces the tides. There are hightides and lowtides every twelve and half hours. This is due to the attraction of the Moon on the Earth.

6. Using an atlas

map of Britain: a) ldentify and name the types of coast located at the letters from A to F on the map from fig. 1.4. b) Name the islands numbered from 1 to 5 on the outline map above using

the information from fig. 1.1.

7. Match the names of the places mentioned below with their respective locations The is an inret situated on the western coast of scoiland

'r

o

. .

o

.

wash Dover

Strait of

St. George's

Liverpool Bay lsle of Man Firth of Clyde

Channel

.

Cornwall Devon

is an island situated in the lrish Sea is a bay in the North-East of Wales is a stretch of water separating Britain from France is a channel that separates Wales from lreland is a bay situated on the east Coast of Britain is a peninsula situated in the South-West of England

Fill in the gaps in the passage below to summarise the lesson.

the .

The British lsles is the geographical name of called Great Britain, lreland and a multitude of other smaller islands " (the lsle of Man, the Orkneys etc.). The passes through ihe eastern part of London. Britain,s indented, varied and under constant change due to its geogiaphical

-is

-Meridian

I

fF. '*-/"

PRACTIGE AN D CONSOLI DATION 1. Work in pairs to make a list of the things you have learned about Britain. Start by filling in the gapped text below

situated ................ includes

The British /s/es are The or which is now one of London's suburbs. Great Britain The whole name of the country is:

.......coasl of Europe.

..............

Meridianpasses through .........

............... and

Britain'scoxtlineisveryirregularwithmany 2.

.................... like:

Read the following statements. Some of them contain errors. Rewrite them to make correct statements.

1. The British lsles are situated off the north-west coast of mainland Europe. 2. Great Britain also includes Northern lreland. 3. The North Sea and the lrish Sea are very deep along Britain's coast.

4.

The English Channel borders England to the South. of the sea.

5. The Scottish firths are narrow channels

3.

-

Define the following terms: rndenta tion, ctiff

inyourcountV.>fl

,

shatlow . Use the

terms in sentences to describe types of coasts found

;

4. a. Write the word family of 'coast'and include

each of the words in sentences Using the glossary tell the difference between 'bay', 'firth', 'estuary,. c. Choose the correct form in the context (check with the glossary):

b

.

I'

1. The British lsles (lay/lie) off the coast of Europe. 2. St. George's (Channel/canal) separates Wales from lreland. 3. The (lsland/lsle) of Man is a member of the Commonwealth. 4. The (StraiUStraight) of Dover is only 30 km wide.

d. Replace the underlined words with. a suitable synonym, 1. Northern lreland is situated North of the Republic of lreland. 2. The border between England and Wales is very regular. 3. The Greenwich Meridian is the Prime Meridian of the Earth,

I

I

of your own.

5. .Work on the World map (in your Atlas). Find which major cities mentioned below are close to the same line of latitude as London: Buchare'st, Paris, Warsaw, Prague, Bertin, New York, Calcutta, Vancouver.

I

I

i \

\

\

Knowing that Great Britain is 500 km wide and nearly 1,000 km long how long would it take a plane, travelling at 750 kilometres per hour, to fly over Great Britain from the far north (John O,Groats) to the south coast (Land's End) ? 7.

Fill in the chart with the missing information to find out information on the UK.

Fi9.1.5. Land's End - Cornwall

Area (sq.km)

Population (thousands)

The UK

243,610

58,837

England

130,433

49,1 81

Scotland

78,822

Country

Wales

Northern lreland

Edinburgh 2.903

13,576

Capital

Cardiff

1,689

Source: Office for National Statistics, 2002

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

'

The term Great Britain is used to differentiate Britain from Brittany ( French for Bretagne). The word Great helps to distinguish between the two: Grande Bretagne = Great Britain, Bretagne = Brittany.

'

lslands like the lsle of Man in the lrish Sea and the Channel lslands off the French Coast are not part of the UK although theyaremembersofihe Commonwealth.Theyareself-governingCrowndependenc1eswithacommon historical relationship but with different legal, legislative and adminisirative systems. HoweverQhe British G.overnment is responsible for their defence and international relations.

'

.

The lce Age - already mentioned when presenting the formation of firths in Scotland - was a prolonged period of colder climatic conditions, during which snow and ice covered large areas of the Earth, including Briiain. There have been several ice ages in the past, the most recent began about 2 million years ago, often referred to as the lce Age.

DID\@U [s[@Mf? >

The UK's coastline is 12,430 km long. The British people can own land along the coasi but not under the sea.

is

5,530 km.

belonging to the UK.

Scientists predict that sea levels will rise as the burning of fossil fuels (wood, coal, oil) warms up the atmosphere. The process is known under the name of global warming. This could lead to the melting of the polar ice caps and a gradual rise in the sea level - a rise of up to one metre in the next 100 years is predicted. As a result, many coastal beaches and estuaries around the world would be drowned.

a. Describe b. Describe

the effects of global warming on British coasts. the effects of global warming on the Romanian Black sea

coast.Dlt

I

Fig.1.6. Fighting Erosion

11

8'',-

2.T[GrclffiFffimmEffisN

Hs

highland eroded mountains lowland glacaers rock type : i

I I I I I

t.

A. Discussion points: d

b

mountain

what terms denoting forms of relief do you know? complete the mind map opposite which colours are used in maps and atlases to depict the various forms of relief?

B. Physicalfeatures: 1. Read the text below and identify the places mentioned on the map. ln Britain the traditional terms used for describing landscapes are highland and lowland. Great Britain can be divrded into twr main areas, each with very different geography, climate and economic activities. By drawing an imaginary oblique lrne from the southwest (point A on the map) to the northeast(point B), you can divide Britain into the two types oilandicape.

2. Study the map below

and the accompanying texts. Link the texts with the corresponding areas on the map in

fig. 2.1 by drawing lines. The Scottish Highlands comprise the Nofth-West Highlands and the Grampians, which display some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Britain, This is due to a combination of high mountains and glacial valleys.

ri;iliiriiir

Highlands Lowlands Faults

The Central Lowland is a large rift valley lying between the Highlands and the Southern Uplands.

-r+u

Escarpments

E

High coasts

Southern limit of glaciation

The Southern Uplands are lower, more rounded and eroded than the Highlands. A typical feature of Scotland's relief is the presence of fault lines.

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Northern lreland is a predominantly low area with a depression at its centre containing Lough Neagh and the Bann Valley. This depression is surrounded by higher areas formed of old, eroded mountains and plateaux. The North Coast is made up of spectacular basalt cliffs, the Giant's Causeway. -

The Cambrian Mountains or the Welsh Massif occupy most of the Welsh Peninsula and form an area of high peaks and moorlands. The only Iowland area is found along ihe coasts.

12

-

tttl 5a5

/

Fig.2.1 Forms of relief in the United Kingdom.

_---

The Pennines are called the "Backbone of England" and extend

3 a)

down the middle of the country from the Cheviot Hills to the Midlands. On the flanks of the Pennines there are areas of fertile

Using the chart below, organise the information presented on the previous page into a classification of forms of relief in Britain:

Form of relief

Name

Location

mountains

Pennines

England

Attttude (hiqhest or lowest) Cross

Fell

893 m

lowland.

The Cumbrian Mountains in north-west England are a dome of ancient rocks deeply eroded by glaciers. They are also called the Lake District, an area famous for its lakes and scenic beauty.

East Anglia is a low almost completely flat area where only a few areas rise above the general level of the plain. The western part is called The Fens and contains land reclaimed from marshes. This is'composed of peat in the south and silt in the north.

The Scarplands are alternating hills and vales, which extend from Yorkshire in the north to Devon in the south. The hills are also called escarpments. They form the landscape of most of south and east England.

C. The rock structure of Britain 4. Read the text below and put the paragraphs into a logical order.

a) The sedimentary rocks are also hard and resistant and include sandstones, limestones

and coal measures. They were formed about 250 million years ago and are found in the Pennines, South Wales and Central Scotland. They include extensive plateaux and hilly land above 300m. b) The land which makes up the uK is the result of a long geological history and it contains a great variety oflrocks, which were formed ai oitrerent geologiial times. c) Much of eastern and southern Britain is made of "newe/, sedime-ntaryiocks formed about 100 million years ago. These are softer and form low hills (lower than 300 m) and vales.

The South.West comprises a series of low granite plateaux, fringed by lowlands of sedimentary rock. They end abruptly in cliffs along the coast. The granite moorlands rise to over 600m in Dartmoor and become lower towards Land's End.

d)

The hardest rocks are the igneous rocks and are found in the north and west. They were formed more than 400 million years ago. They are now mosfly upland areas (1200m).

5. Fill in the text below with the appropriate words from the box to show how

Summary

glaciation affected Britain,s relief.

f---------I

i

Wales f,ords

i kilometre spectacular

northern \laciers landmaSs -------: ribbon

lakes

,

ice

sheet surface

iae

Britain's landscape is divided into highland and lowland.

i i

'

five (1) aijes, during which thick ice sheets covered one third (2). During the last lce Age an (3) more than one -(6) scenery of scotland, (7) and northern England owe their existence - - to tre wo* Liic". There have been of the earth's -----..

__

(8) are powerful moving machines that dramatically change the (10), U shaped 1ti;, tarns.

-__ forming:

vaileys,

--

(9)

The mountains are old and eroded. The plains are flat and they are interrupted by hilly regions. There are many signs of glaciation.

i;\. '.-\

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PRACTICE AN D CONSOLI T}AT;ON 1. The map infig.2.2 shows Britain's mountains.

I

Using appropriate crayons, draw on the other main forms of relief and label all of them.

I>

2. The paragraphs below contain short descriptions of five different areas of Britain. Using the clues from the lesson, match the names of each area with a suitable description and write the correct name in each gap:

'Y.,

,

Northern lreland , The Pennines . East Anglia , The Downs , Cornwall

ry\

...............,.,.are a series of horseshoeshaped chalk hills located south of London. Their southern side reaches the sea in many places and forms the famous white cliffs of the South Coast. They were the reason why the Romans named the country Albion.

Fig.2.2 The Outline of Britain's Mountains

...........,.......is a flat, wind-blown area in the east of England, criss-crossed by large slow rivers and canals. lts soil is very fertile, suitable for cereals, flowers and vegetables.

Language check

The .................. peninsr,la, with its rocky coast, numerous small bays and wild moorlands such as Dartmoor and Exmoor, is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Britain. . .. . stretch for some 240km from north to south and form the backbone of the country. They are made up of flat plateaux with average altitudes of 600-800m.

...... displays an interior plain scattered with isolated hills and lakes, the largest lake being found in its centre and is surrounded by a ring of low mountains

Draw the diagram of a mountain and write around it allthe words you know that are connected with a mountain.

b.

State the difference between lowland, plain and fielc

c.

ldentify equivalent terms for valley, plain and hfl as they appeared in the lesson.

Using the Venn diagram below, compare the relief of Britain (i.e, forms of relief and their characteristics) with that oi your country. The common features are to be written in the

middle.>g I

BRITAIN ROMANIA

5, Describe the relief of your country by using some of the words from this lesson, harmonious, concentric, balanced combination,

etc.FKl I

as well as words like:

N7-

z>-

14

@4-__-

ADDITIONAL I NFORMATION A unique form of relief on the northern coast of Northern lreland is Ihe Granf's Causeway. (Fig. 2.3) lt is made up of some

b. Although Scotland is made up of 3 distinct regions, each blessed with its special beauty; the Highlands are the most impressive region of all. Read the following lines by Robert

40,000 basalt columns and it resembles a group of steppingstones leading to the sea. The symmetrical columns have 6-8 sides and the tallest is 12 m in height. The legend explaining the formation of the stones says that the giant Finn McCool fell in love with a lady giant from the Scottish coast and to bring her to lreland he built the Giant's Causeway.

Burns, the national poet. List the main features of the Highlands' landscape that appear in the poem: " My heart's in

the Highlands, my heart is not here; My heart's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer; Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe, My heart's in the Highlands wherever I g0... Farewell to the mountains, high covered with snow; Farewell to the straths and green valleys bellow; Farewell to the forests and wide-hanging woods; Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods."

c.

Read the paragraph below, which contains a prose description of the Highlands. Translate it into Romanian using a dictionary if necessary.

"lt is an area of scenic grandeur, consisting of parallel chains of mountains, rugged and barren, broken by deep valleys. lts beauty comes from ihe combination of precipitous cliffs,

Fig. 2.3 The Giant's Causeway, lreland

moorland plateaus covered in heather, swift-flowing streams and glistening lochs with crystal-clear waters"

a. The Fens is the lowest area in the country (4m below sea level) and also the most fertile. To discover some of the activities carried out here and the products obtained or typical of this area, search horizontally and vertically in the word square below. You should find 10 words (some compound ones). Circle them like in the model and then compare your findings with your F

R

U

L

C

E

T

P

C

K

L

E

R

E

C

I

a

N

G

o

A

D

C

A

R

M

I

N

G

U

G

T A

F

S

R

B

E

E

T

B

N

E

o

W

E

R

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o

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J

o

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A

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z

C

X

T

S

A

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D

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Dr

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F

G

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Z

X

C

s

U

e M

E

J

K

S

B

N

find in the picture below?

X

W

K

d. Which of the elements in the paragraph above do you

G

o L

L

o

P

Due to its natural and cultural wealth, Scotland is a major tourist destination. Tourism can be both beneficial as well as destructive for an area. ln time, several environmental organisations focused their activities on this area, trying to protect it. Column A lists the tourist attractions of the area, while column B lists the harmful impact of tourlsm

Scenic beauty Unspoilt nature Rare birds/plants Walking

Canoeing, Fishing Playing golf

Wildlife destruction Littering

TOURISM

Pollution of rivers/lakes/land Footpath erosion Building tourist facilities

Study the flow chart above and write down some solutions meant to reduce the damaging impact of tourism on Highlands' environment.

15

h

-urr-.

4

3.mrenmmnwp@ennffi I

climate

i

variable

equable

precipitation weather

t---------__ ---4 u,.., ..

I

i I

_______-t

A. Discussion points:

-

f

,ra. Why

b.

'

is the weather a favourite topic of discussion in Britain? Unjumble the words on the right in order to find out which are the elements of weather..

I *61"*re--l

t "p.'-, I

f--;ml t

B. Climate and weather 1. Read the two definitions below and decide which refers to

fTr..d.-l

climate and which lo weather.

dh,,iltyl

lprt".ip"til,

I

A.

B.

The average state of the meteorological elements for a small area (e.9. town/city) over a short period of time \) (e.9. a couple of days,

The average state of the meteorological elements for a large area (e.9. counhies, continents) over a number of years.

weeks)

i

'h"i',d_l tp..t.r**l

i I

C. Factors affecting climate

:

2

.

I

a.

The following factors affect the climate of an area. Match the terms with their definition.

I I

i

I I

il

Places further away from the Equator receive less energy from the sun. Therefore the higher the latitude (the nearer the North or South Pole) the colder it is likely to be.

sea takes longer to heat up in summer so the sea is colder than the land. ln winter it takes' longer for the sea to cool down, so the sea is I I

I

warmer than the land. Consequently coastal areas are often warmer in winter but cooler in summer than places inland.

I

Warm ocean currents like the North Aflantic Drift warm up coastal locations, even in high latitudes The greater the altitude, the colder, windier and wetter it is likely to be. (The temperature usually falls by about 1"C for every 200

masses are bring the weather of the place from which they come to Britain. Some winds like the westerly winds in the northern are called winds"

I

2. b. Which of the factors mentioned

i,

Britain is affected by the following air masses: - polar maritime (mP) - polar continental (cP)

above apply to Britain?

D>

I i

z

i

lll

0 o 0

i

]-

wel lcold ll -rlt>

z

tI

- tropical maritime(mT) - tropical continental (cT)

lt-

->-

- prevailing westerly winds (wW) 3.

0n the map in fig.3.1 write the initiats mB cE mB cT and wW beside each arrow. Discuss their effects on the weather in Britain.

4. Based on all the factors studied so far choose the best alternative in order to define the climate type found in Britain. Give reasons for your choice. Britain's climate is.

Fig. 3.1 Air streais r"lri"f, affect Britain. The width of the arrows indicates approximately how frequently the different air streams

a) temperate continental b) subtropical

c)temperate maritime I

I il

$.

T

16

D. Temperature Temperature shows how warm the air

is. lt can be measured in degrees celsius or Fahrenheit. The conversion formulae 'C = 5/9 x ("F-32) or

lsotherms are lines joining places with equat whole country.

t.rp.rrtr'r5.

are:

#'rL fl.li3 show average temperature conditions over the

Or,s 6"C 5"C-61C

4"C-r'C

OYe 10.

,5'

3'C - 4'C

!.lry 3lc

- 15- C 15. C

t{'-

13L 14'C EGlow 13'C

Fig. 3.2 lsotherms for January

Fig. 3.3 lsotherms for July

5. Study the maps above and answer the following questions:

b) c) d) e)

Which are the coldest and warmest areas in summer and winter? the table below warmest area coldest area summer winter Why are the southwest anO What are the factors which determine the location of the lowest temperature in Scoland in winter? Why is the southeast warmer than the southwest in summer? Using fi9. 3.3, explain why the southeast coast is cooler than the area around London?

E. Precipitation

6'

The term precipitation refers to rain, snow, hail and sleet and is measured in mm/year. The map below shows the annual distribution of precipitation for the United Kingdom.

study it carefully and

entences to expresi your conclusion.

N

a) The wettest parts in Britain are

I

t

- of the proximity of big bodies of water

b) The driest part of Britain

is

Key

lover2000

mm

!rsoo.zooo

mm

650.1500 mm

under 650

?

150,km

. 3.4 UK-average annual rainfall

- it is in the rain shadot

Summary The climate in Britain is variable i.e. it changes from day to 9rV. tlis also equable i.e. there are no extremes of heit, cold, drought or prolonged rainfall. The wettest part is northwest Scotland. The driest is southeast England'

+7_

I

\EE

PRACTICE AND CONSOLI DATION

li

q-,'

Choose words from the box to complete the following text describing the climate of the UK.

h!gher

changeable

(ftaritime equable

ln the climate graph for London below, the line shc, the average temperatures and the bars the averag precipitation for each month.

Describe orally what you see in the graph

west

r'1ild "Britain's climate is more or less similar to that of the north-western parts of Europe, llowever, due to its being an island, Britain suffers (1 )................,,..infl uences, which vary with location.: the further west you go, the (2)....................it gets. Winters are(3)....,.,.,..,..,....., somehow colder in the east than in the (a)....................and snow is a regularfeature ofthe (5)....................areas only (eg. the Grampians in the Scottish Highlands). All in allthis climate is (6)....................as it displays a lack of extremes but at the same time it can be very(7).................., which gave it its bad reputation.

2. Complete the following sentences with information from the lesson:

1. The general effect of the westerly winds on Britain bring....,........

2. The

North Atlantic Drift

is...........

Fig. 3.5 The Climate of London

is that they

.and its effect

is. ..... ;. ... ... ...

b. Draw a similar graph for lnverness using the following data (the given values are for

3. The south of the UK is warmer than the north because

4. The east of the UK is drier than the west because

[3.

.lllatch the climate descriptions below with areas B, C and D from the map in fig. 3.6 and write the key words in the correct sector. Area A has already been done for you.

l.cold

I O

winters, cool summers, quite dry

cold winters, warm summers, dry mild winters, warm summers, quite wet

\coolsummers,

!

mild winters, wet

+. Wttl.tr of the two weather forecasts A or B below matches

Fig.3.6 Weather Regions

the weather map fig. 3.7 below?

Q//ost

of the country will be

aff-ected

bploud altemating

B. The forecast predicts a bright, chilly but showery day across mar parts otthe British lsles. The shou. will be heaviest and niost persiste: in the N and W, with sleet and perhaps snow overthe Scottish hi , Temperatures here will be of arour: 5-6oC and a N-W fresh wind will bl:

with

sunnyspells. There will be littlg rain in the south-east but heavyTffi-arq will extend from the north-west through western areas of Scotland and Northern lreland. Northern Scotland may expect temperatures of minimum 7 degrees Celsius, quite mild for January, while south-eaStEngland may enjoy a maximum of 11 degees Celsius. Another feature of the weather will be the strong westerly wind with gales ii'-the ftrlouih-west.

-

intermittently.

The eastern and southern areas w be brighter, with only isolated showers and temperature of goC. Low cloud and fog could linger ove' the N-E in the morning, but will disperse later.

Fig.

t8

"fl

Weather forecast

) )

The British say they don't have climate but weather. Due to the low pressure air fronts which constantly sweep the country from west io east, you can sometimes experience four seasons in a day. Although the British climate is generally equable, temperature extremes do occasionally occur. The highest temperature recorded in recent decades was 38oC (August 2003, London) and the lowest was -270C (January '1982, the Grampians)

ln general the climate patterns of a country tend to be affected by local factors such as altitude, sheltered position, pollution, or how bullt up a place is. Thus, microclimates appear. ln the case of big cities, like London, this microcfimate is called an urban climate. lts main feature is the urban heat island effect, which means that its temperature is a few degrees higher than that of the surrounding area. (Fig. 3.8)

Fog is a climate element typical of Britain, lt represents the condensation of water particles at ground level. Fog tends to be thicker in built up areas. The combination of fog and smoke is smog, Smog appears when warm air loaded with fumes from cars and factories rises rapidly until it reaches a ceiling of warm air. There, it cannot rise anymore and it spreads, forming a blanket of smoke and dirt over the city. Although British cities and particularly London, suffered because of smog in the past and many people even died because of it, it is no longer a problem. 1. Try to think why smog is a thing of the past for Britain, 2. ls smog a problem in the area where you live? CLIMATE CHANGES IN THE UK

0

10 km

oPes

"o$s

Fig. 3.8 London's microclimate

According to a 2002 government report, there are four future climate scenarios for the UK. They take into account possible changes in technology and lifestyle over the next 100 years. They are called: "Low Emissions", "Medium-Low Emissions"

"High Emissions" (the emissions are, of course, the pollutants released into the atmosphere both privately and industrially). The

predictions are: Here are a few factors, which affect the London weather:

1. The great number of buildings acts as a wind-break.

2.

However, very tall buildings, like the skyscrapers, may have the opposite effect as they create true "canyons" along which the wind funnels. Green areas have been built over with impermeable

surfaces such as asphalt or concrete.

3. There are more water vapour and dust particles

in the atmosphere due to the domestic heating and the burning of fossil fuels by cars and industry. Task: After you have read the characteristics listed above, suggesf their effects on London's microclimate. Add them to the list started below: a. London receives less snow and it melts faster (e.9. the average snow days per year for London - 5 days, for Scotland - 30 days)

Calm

Temperature oC 1. an expected rise by 2-3.5 ofthe annual average values by the year 2080 oC) 2. the highest rise (5 will affect the S and E 3. most of the warming will affect the summers and autumns Precipitation f . increased values with at least 10Yo-200/o for winter 2. drier summers with a precipitation decrease of up

to 50% 3. largest changes in the S and E of England, smallest

in Scotland will fall with 60-90% less than at present Wind 1. will have higher speed, especially in summer when severe gales and sea surges may be expected 4. snow

wind 11-20 kmlhr

Moderate gale 50-60 km/hr

Fig. 3.9 Wind types and the Beaufort wind scale

{9

4.

w

wumts @ ffiiB Emmils[fl mgs watershed confluence

reservolr

drainage basin

A. Discussion points: What types of water do You know?

B. The Rivers 1. Read the text below to find out information about parts of the river. Use the underlined words to complete fig. 4. 1. Rivers are natural drains. Most of the rain that falls on the land drains into a river. The origin of a river is called the source. As the river flows, other smaller rivers or streams may join it. These are called tributaries and the point where they meet is their confluence. Further on the point where the main river flows into a sea or ocean is called the

mouth. The area drained by a river is known as a drainage basin' Mountains and hills often form a watershed, which separates two drainage basins. A typical drainage pattern looks like a tree, with the river as the tree trunk and the

Fig. 4.1 A river drainage basin

hibutaries as its branches.

2, Fill

parts of a river. Use the map fig 4.2 on in the blanks with the missing information referring to the different

left below to help you.

a. The mouth

(A) of the river Severn

th is

the Bristol Channel.

b,

The---(F)oftheTren:

c.

covers most of the Midlands. The drainage basins of the rivers Trer and Mersey are seParated bY a (E)

d.

The Clyde has

its'.":...-:

(B) in the

Southern Uplands. e. The point where the Severn and its (C), the Avon meet is call:-

_

(D)

3. Study the map of UK fig. 4.2. What i: the main characteristic of rivers in Britain? Read the text below to chec your answers. ' Britain has a great number of rivers w-

f!$'1.,1-r'zo"' {, " \*^

although short, have a steady high let. of flow because they are fed by abunc,rainfall. They remain ice free in winter which means that those, which are navigable, can be used all year round Almost all of them end in estuaries, wr provide good sheltered locations for p: (Mersey) Glasg: and Liverpool such as (Clyde). Canals built in the past conne: most of the British rivers, Their role is .facilitate transPort bY water. The Pennines is the main watershed f--which the rivers flow west to the lrish ;or east to the North Sea. Rivers and streams flowing westward down from: highlands tend to be short, swift and turbulent. Those flowing longer with slowlY

Fig.4.2 Rivers and lakes in the U. K'

20

4' Why are the rivers flowing to the west swift and turbulent and those flowing to the east long and genge? 5.

9.Ig

the map in fig. 4.2 and an atlas, complete the table below to organise information about the most ifiportant rive

in Britain. River

Th Severn

Location

Source

England

Cotswold Hills

Wales/England

Mersey

Length

Mouth

Cities on river London

330 km

North Sea

336 km

lrish Sea

110 km

lrish Sea

Humber

60 km

Tyne

48 km

C

Scotland

Forth

171kn

l'

",

{

t

lrish Sea

188 km

B

Northern lreland

77 kn

C. Lakes Most of the natural lakes in the United Kingdom are located in the upland areas of Scotland, Wales and Northern

and are of glacial origin. ln Scotland lakes are called "lochs". The largest of them is Loch Lomond on the south-western side of the Grampian Mountains. Loch Ness lies in a long, faulted valley called the Great Glen (or Glen More) and is of tectonic origin. ln north-west England the Lake District contains many tarns and ribbon lakes famous for their clean water such as Windermere, Ullswater, Grasmere etc. The same types of lakes are also found in Wales, the largest ofthem being Lake Bala. Many ofthem have been turned into multi-purpose reseruoirs The largest lake in the UK is Lough Neagh (396 sq,km), in Northern lreland.

6. Using figure

'{ al

4.3 describe the shape of Loch Schiel.

D. Water Problems ln Britain the amount of precipitation is higher than the amount of water needed but it does not always fall where and when it is needed. ln order to balance supply and demand, reservoirs had to be created to store water in areas with surplus water and to transfer it to those places which need it. Most reseryoirs are artificial lakes created on rivers by the building of dams, which hold back water, which is then released at a steady rate and transferred through the river channel.

7'

a) Name those parts of Britain which have a surplus of water and those with deficit. b) why is the demand for water greater than the supply in south.east England? Reservoirs are multi-purpose schemes, which serve different uses:

. '. .

to store water, to prevent flooding, to encourage fisheries, to provide recreational facilities.

Summary Britain has a great number of rivers with a steady flow. Its lakes are either natural (glacial and tectonic) or artificial (reservoirs).

2/,

PRAGTIGE AN D CONSOLI DATION 1. Towns and villages are often located in the vicinity of rivers because rivers are beneficial to human

settlements. Besides their

numerous uses, rivers can also be misused.

Study the diagram below and list the uses and misuses of rivers under the following headings:

USES I

MISUSES

\. I

{,. ,\ \., \ -.\ \

'\1-

power

supply

n ]J

il

;:;=:-::-T.

-.6i t

,lJr-.*.I\

plain

-

wasteand ffistic sewage 1&' J

Fig. 4.5 The uses and misuses of rivers

2.

THE FLOODING THAMES

Rivers are not just life givers; sometimes they can be life destroyers. One way in which they do that is by flooding. Combine the information from column A with that in column B and write a short newspaper article on the Thames Barrier called "Ihe Eighth Wonder of theWorld". A. - built in 1982 by British and Dutch specialists - cost

t500 million

- world's largest movable flood barrier

- spans 520m across the river Thames - consists of 10 separate movable steel gates - each of the 4 main gates is as high as a S-storey building when raised and weighs 3,700 tonnes

- rises whenever there is a risk of flooding, i.e a few times each year B.

- in the last decades the global climatic changes have led to a steady rise in sea level - England's south-eastern area has been sinking steadily for a long time. - 150sq.km of London, including some central pa(s, which are the location of many important headquarters of banks and firms, as well as the homes of over 750,000 Londoners, lie below high tide level.

22

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Having been used for centuries, the Thames becalg so badly polluted by the 1g60s that it was considered biologically dead' Ai present, trowever, it is consioLieo to oe dne or ilrl J"rn".t metroporitan of the sarmon, ,li.rii",o,s oecuus" iin?"0,

[:H ll,Siflij,";:Jij

fJ,tr

*ll;

B:",.,"T a. arrange the events presented in them in chronotogical order:

ij"-t*Sollutihg

factors

cr"an w"tei

J._J _! _!_t

_t _t _t rrom"trre mel"rreG taren to crean _t up the Thames-

(-_-1

_

a. '1989- building of tfre vessetTfre Thames Bubbler designed to injecl into the water at critical times

f.

1950- combined effect of sew-ge andindustrial discharge, plus thermal [ollution

b. Before the First World War new sewers were built but were partly destroyed in the war.

from power stations and gas works produced a river that was virtually dead.

c. People whose latrines empGffi the River had to pay 2 shillings for its cleaning (Parliament actl 383).

9.1844- By taw ail new buitdingihad toG connected to the common sewer from which all domestic waste went untreated into the Thames. Factories built along the banks also WA

r

J

d. 1535- Partiamenl

s

it illegal to the river with rubbish.

h. 1990- launching ot a GconOlesG]Er oxygen injection (constant monitoring of parameters indicated when need

aroie)

Famous for its attractive scenery combining lakes, mountains, woodland, farms and unspoilt countryside, the Lake District is prime tourist destination However, just a likjin scoirano

tourism

i, noin'n.n.t.ialand detrtme.trr. -

newspaper excerpts and rist the negative effects of tourism on irri.

,r...-

ri.riii.

fo,owing

a. "l dipped my oars into the silent lake. I rose upon the stroke, my boat

lld,.qr

What heaving through the water like a swan: When from behind that craggy steep...a huje cliff As if with voluntary power initinct, Upreared its head... lf Wordsworth, who wrote the lines above, had had his way, the sightseeing hordes from the indushiar north wourd have been denied access to his beloved Lake Distril. He even opposed the buirding of a rairway rine. The rine was buirt, but closed in the early 1g70s, a victim of the new age of "people car-based tourism. At present, about j2 million visit the Lake Diskict every year, 90% of whom .o16 Oy .rr.,, b. "Plt off by stories of fells and dales being flooded by crowds of summer visitors, I decided to exptore ine ia[e country on horseback."

c.

Fig.4.7 The Lake District

', :l.*

itl':1r'l$1|1 ::i1lt1, "l opted for a cruise on board of The Tarn, said to have been sailing the waters of Windermere Lake since iA'90. Wnlte rlre most famous in tn. UK is Loch Ness. Located in seagulls were screaming piercingly above our heads, I was Scotland, it is said to be inhabited Uy, ,onrt.r.rlt.O surprised to see water_skiers, smajt hovercraft and hundreds Nessie. Whether it is a rotting tree tiunk, a f Vary in size and attractions > problems arising from overcrowding

on lakes > disturbance to wildlife reseryes > few parking areas

50

Nltzi zlL_rss

ADDITIONAL I NFORMATION C

Each year, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family attend the Trooping of the Colour ceremony on Horse t^l,lo: jl L-ylon The Queen attends the ceremonyio take the salutefro; thousands ot guaiJsmen who parade the 9::l1t Queen's colour (or flag).

O British bank holidays O C

have been recognized since 1871. The name Bank Holiday comes from the time when Banks were shut and so no trading could take place. one type- of activity holiday much appreciated by the British is the so-called "murder weekend"during which you can find yourself living out the plot of a detective story. The father of modern mass tourism was Thomas Co-ok who, on July 5,1841,organised the firsi package tour in history. He took a group of teetotalers from Leicester to a rally in Loughborough, some twenty miles away. Cook immediately siw the potential for business development in the sector, and became the world's first tour operator

As tourism has now become the world's greatest industry, ecotourism represents a very powerful means to ddvelop biodiversity. The principal objective of ecological tourism is to benefit from nature, landscapes or specific species by promoting environmental responsible travel to relatively undisturbed areas in order to enjoy and appreciate nature and accompanying culturalfeatures and become aware of the need for preserving natural capital and cultural capital. There is a strong relationship between ecotourism and conservation, sustainability and biodiversity, a relationship which meets the interests of many international organisations. (Ad a pted fro m wi ki pedi a.org.)

a' R9a.{ the case study on Snowdonia. Compare this national park with a national park in Romania and identify two similarities and two differences between them. Make up the profile of the Romanian park according to the model

below.

' ' '

' ' ' '

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Snowdonia is a region of North Wales and a National Park, the second largest in England and Wales. The area is renowned for its spectacular mountainous and coastal scenery, containing glaciated eltuaries aid valleys, broad-leaved woodlands, rugged mountains with alpine flora, sandy bays and large sand dune systems. The area is named after Snowdon (in Welsh Yr Wyddfa) also containi an unusual variety of wildlife habitats. Therefore it is very popular with tourists. The park is governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which is made up of local government and Welsh national representatives. Snowdonia is made up of both public and private lands under a central pla-nning authority. The 6 million annual visitors are bound to cause problems, both to the environment and io the pirk's residents. These problems include, among others, traffic pollution, footpath erosion, conflicts between farmers and tourists as well as between park residents and holiday house owners. Snowdonia's culture is intertwined with the Welsh langrage, which is spoken by much of the population as Gwynedd was the stronghold of the Welsh princes whose people were of Celtic origin. The park is renowned for its wealth of archaeological remains sliowing how people have inhabited the area over the last 6,000 years. There are many buildings of archaelogical and historical importance including casfles built by Welsh princes and Edward l's fortress at Harlech. There are other special attractions as well, such as Greenwood Centre a forest park that provides opportunities for family , adventure or the Labyrinth where Welsh tales of King Arthur are retold in dramatic undergiound settinis. (lnformation adapted from the Snowdonia National park site) PARK PROFILE 3'o National park In England and Wales Area: 2,141sq.km (213,200 ha) Highest Point: Mt Snowdon, 1,085 m Land use: unenclosed mountain/moorland, deciduous woodlands, water and buillup areas, agricultural land, forest areas Scenery 37 km ofcoasfline 1 5 peaks over 1 ,000 m over 100 lakes Population: living withln the park: 26,250 Welsh speakers (1999): 70% Age (18-64) 15,400 Visitor days per year: 6.6 million

Designated: 1951 , as the

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Complete the following map of the UK by writing in the names of islands, seas. Show the boundaries between the countries belonging to the UK.

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5. Choose the correct form in the context:

a) The USA is/are part of North America. b) The largest gulf along the Pacific Ocean is Alaska's Gulf/ the Gulf of Alaska.

c)

The Hawaiian islands/archipelago has/have a subtropical

d)

There is much/many physical variety in America.

climate.

6.

a)

Unscramble the following anagrams to give the name

of three types of gulfs along the American coastline:

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b) Link

by arrows the names description on the right San Francisco Mexico Chesapeake Gulf of

Bay Gulf Bay Alaska

ratusey on the left with the deep, meanderrng , elongated low, with lagoons, sandY long, narrow steep-sided inlet tectonic, deep-water gulf

7. The table below is an extract from a US train timetable showing time of arrival (hour, day) in various places on the route from New York to Los Angeles passing through Chicago, route that is passing through the four time zones. a) Locate the places on a map. b) Why is the journey from New York to Los Angeles shorter than that from Los Angeles to New York?

From New York-Penn Station, NEW Y0RK to Los Angeles Union Station, CALIFORNIA

From New York

To Chicago,lllinois

Chicago,lllinois

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

Chicago, lllinois

Chicago, lllinois

New York

Remember : The American way wav of writing the date is month/day/year

Departs 2:50 pm o3t29l04 3:15 pm 03t30t04 6:45 pm 04to2l04 7:00 pm 04l04lo4

Arrives 9:20am 03t30t04 8:15 am 04to1t04 3:20 pm 04t04lo4 1:50 pm 04lo5lo4

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ADDITIONAL I NFORMATION The geographical centre of the 48 contiguous states is located at Lebanon in Kansas, the geographical centre of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) is in Butte County, South Dakota at 44"58' N, 103"46',W. the geographical centre of North America is in North Dakota, a few miles west of Devils Lake, at 48"10'N,

100''10'w, a car trip from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast typically takes a minimum of five days with almost no stops to look around. the gap between the warmest and coldest high temperatures on a given day in the United States could reach 70 'Fahrenheit (about 40 'Celsius) the north-south distance, from Canada in the north to Mexico in the south is over 1,500 miles (2,500 kilometres)

the full width of North America, from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west is over 2,800 miles (over 4, 500 kilometres).

American Celebrations Flag Day on June 14 is among the national celebrations celebrated in the USA. ln the 20'n century this has become an important issue. lncluded in the code of ethics are such rules, as the national flag cannot be used for advertising. It cannot cover a monument or any ceilings. lt must not be folded while being displayed. No one should write on an American flag. Ships can lower their flags slightly in greeting each other, but othenivise should not be dipped for any other object or person. The first flag, called the Grand Union, was first flown at the headquarters of the Continental Army on January 1,1776.

Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday dates back lo 1621, the year after the Puritans arrived in Massachusetts. After a hard winter, in which about half of them died, their neighbours, the lndians taught them how to plant corn and other crops. The next fall the rich harvest inspired the Pilgrims to give thanks by holding a feast. To this day, fhanksgiving dinner almost always includes some of the food served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

The Fourth of July or lndependence Day honours the nation's birthday the signing of the Declaration of lndependence on July

4,1776.

Martin Luther King Day is the third Monday in January. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., an African-American clergyman, is considered a great American as he fought to secure civil rights for all people through non-violent means. Since his assassination in 1968, memorial services have marked his birthday.

Memorial Day - the last Monday in May. lt commemorates the national heroes buried in Arlington. Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia is the nation's largest national cemetery. Not only are members of the armed forces buried here, astronauts, explorers and other distinguished Americans have all been honoured with a special place. President John Kennedy is buried in a spot overlooking Washington D.C. On Memorial Day, the President or Vice President of the United States gives a speech and lays a wreath on the tombs. Members of the armed forces shoot a rifle salute in the air.

Veterans'Day -Novemberll.lnlglB,ontheeleventhhourof

theeleventhdayintheeleventhmonth,theworld

rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all wars" was over. Nowadays, Americans give thanks for peace on Veterans' Day. There are ceremonies and speeches aRd at 11 :00 in the morning, most Americans observe a moment of silence, remembering those who fought for peace.

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A. Discussion points Look at the physical map of the US fig. 13.2. Do you find any similarities in terms of relief between Britain and the US?

B. The types of relief following passages to find out about the types of relief found in the USA. Using mapfig.13.2 fill inthe gaps.

1. Read the

According to age the mountains in the USA are grouped into two categories: Mountains. They are like a Old:long wall, almost parallel with the eastern coastline. The highest peak is Mt. Mitchell 2037m. where the Coastal Plains and the Central Plains meet.

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tVew; the west-coast mountains, which are part of the Cordilleras and form two disiinct ranges:

a)

, the eastern range, bordered bY the Great Plains in the east and by the intermontane Basins in the West. They are characterised by a complex system oftroughs and ridges.

of the USA are high and situated west of the Rockies. They are also known as lntermontane Basins and consist of three subdivisions: - the the norih in the middle - the - the in the south

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again of two tyPes:

a)Low.plains:

b) The Pacific Coastal mountain ranges consist of two parallel chains: in the north with Mt Rainier it (4392 m) as its highest peak. , which contains the highest peak of the contiguous USA: Mt. Whitney 4418 m lies the Central Valley a long and '- and west of it b'road trough that separates the Si6rra Nevada from the Coast Ranges which run along the west ii) cobst from the Canadian border to Mexico.

along the eastern and southern coasts and gradually widen from north to south. - the situated south of the Great Lakes region, stretch from the western slopes of the Appalachians to the Great Plains. The land is mostly level with some gently rolling hills. - the

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b) High plains: - the a vast area that stretches from Canada in the north to Mexico in the South. The Rocky Mountains are the western boundary of thts region.

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How was the landscape created?

The major forces that were responsible for shaping and moulding the landscape both in the past and at present are volcanoes, earth movements, ice, rivers, wind, temperature etc.

2. Here is a brief presentation

of some of these forces and the way they have altered the relief of the USA. Match the paragraphs labeld a-e with the headings labeld 1-5. Gomplete the answer grid at the bottom of the page as shown:

a. Volcanoes have played an important part in shaping the

land.

d.

Relief is also shaped by wind action. ln arid lands there is little binding action by grass or tree roots and loose particles of soil are blown around by the wind. Sand-laden winds erode the rocks into strange shapes. Less resistant layers are worn away, leaving the more resistant rocks clearly etched. Wind action is strongest near the ground, where the heaviest particles are blown or rolled along, cutting the cliffs in odd shapes. Under certain conditions, sand worn away from rocks is deposited in the forms of dunes, which are then further shaped by the wind.

e.

Once, both the Rockies and theAppalachians were low flat lands covered by ancient seas, which, disappeared when forces from below the earth's crust uplifted the land into chains of mountains. The Appalachians were created much earlier than the Rockies; consequently their altitude is lower due to longer exposure to erosion. The Rockies are relatively "young", with many peaks over 4000m.

Many of the largest mountains within the Western Cordillera (Mt Rainier, Mt Shasta) are volcanoes, but for many years they have remained inactive and may have become extinct. ln some cases their cones blew apart or collapsed making calderas, which later filled with water to form lakes or in others lava poured over the land in great floods to build the Columbia Plateau.

b. The lce affected the highland and lowland regions in different ways. ln the highlands, ice ground down and eroded the mountains and valleys, producing steep-side, flatbottomed trenches. Lowland areas were covered by a thick coat of a mixture of sand, gravel and clay called till or drift. These deposits were carried by glacial ice, which scraped the surface over which it advanced. When the ice melted the material was dumped forming a mass of hills and hollows. The Central Plains offers good examples of glacial deposition.

c.

Rivers are the most constant and powerful of all thd forces that wear down the land. Given time, the highest mountain can be worn down until its peaks turn into lonely stumps sticking up out of a plain. The Rockies, which are young mountains, contain many fast-flowing rivers, which have cut deep, narrow gorges along their courses. The Mississippi (Old Man Rlver), on the other hand, flows slowly over its flood plain carrying large amounts of silt.

1 When the earth moves 2 Volcanoes create a new landscape 3 Land shaped by ice 4 Wind-erodedlandscape 5 Rivers 1

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Summary Variety is the main feature of the relief in the USA. The mountains are either old and eroded or young and rugged. There are large areas of high or low plains.

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lce, volcanic activity and rivers have altered the face of the land in many ways resulting spectacular landscapes

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successful electronic image in San Francisco on September 7, 1927. California was the site of the first radio broadcast. Fashion Fair Mail, in Fresno, was the nation's first encrosed shopping mail. The first node of the tnternet (then known as ARpANET) i*irii.ir University of carifornia, Los Angeres (ucLA) in september 1g6g. The firsi host'to'host message was sen[one month rater from UCLA to stanford Research lnstitute.

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The Everglades Colonial Heritage Subtropical environment -___-_-___.:

A. Discussion Points Look at the map fig.21.1on the right. You can identify the South as a large and complex region extending on all sides.

a. b. c.

Write down all the words you can think of related to ihe South Briefly describe the geographical features of the region and identify the sub-divisions according to the physical economic-cultural aspects. What is the most famous place you know about in the South?

B. lntroduction 1. Read the text and check your answers from A (predictions). The terrain of the region is very complex, ranging from rugged

mountains to plateaux, lowland valleys and marshy coastal plains. No other region of the USA has such heavy rainfall and such a long growing season over its whole extent. -The South is also known for having some of the most severe natural hazards in America. Traditionally, the Southeast has been considered mainly as a rural area, its economy being associated with plantation crops such as cotton and tobacco. Recently there has been an upsurge of industrial development with big resources discovered both on land and offshore. lt is also a major tourist area as recreation and retirement are major industries. The region still maintains a Colonial heritage from the earliest European colonisation, which developed a unique culture after the War of lndependence. The Southeast was once the cenke of the Confederate States of America that fought the Civil War.

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Fi1.21.1 The South Fact File The States: South East: North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi South Central: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas

Area: approx. 3 million km'(28%) Population: 50 million people (1/6) Largest city:Atlanta Highest point: Mt. Mitchell (2,037m) Lowest point: The Gulf Coast 100m

The following pictures show some representative physical, economic and cultural features of the region. Group them according to these aspects.

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C. Physical Features From the physical perspecr tY::^'^n*i,'ohy,

urE euur'rrelrl s--rievrr/' the southern regl' region COmpfiSeS :omprises tWO t\rvo sr hron i^^. -l.les.e SUbfeqiOnS. are the Coastal plains of th"e A,aniin and .hd n,,rr i^^-^r , Atlantic Gutf Coa-st and . r

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Read the two texts,,which refer to -- the subregions "'Y vvv'iE! mentioned and mark

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the ideas already known to you with 7 rne ones that are new with a the ones that need clarification with a ?

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The Aflantic Coastat plain follows the coasfline from Cape Cod in Massachusetts in the North to the Florida Peninsula in the South *f,er. it OroaO"enrio oi., SOOk, in width.

There are few natural harbours, many sandy beaches and offshore ista nds (from vi,gin il io itoi,i,jri r.i,rrrto the maintand by marshesl pamfico-is a |au[*jnr., of ,n. sea, which iles .along the coast .f frf .rtf] Cri.im Mixed forests of coniferous and broadleaf deciduous are the natural vesetation of the south is mainly coniferous.

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c. TheAppalachian Hiohlands

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Marshes are common and there are slow-flowing rivers rhe Southern ptains. tts .rt .ouii, incruo.. :::^r:.ilg

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b. The.Gulf plain is a much wider

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towards the eastern eooe wlicrr This is a tow ptateau ZS"O_SOOm ' rb;;; The.mountains are made up of many irrO.Jp.rf,, ctustered into ranqes inctuding th; [,r"o1itrinr, '"'"", which extends from pennsyivinta to Ceoigi;: Other parts of the mountain,r.1l.tT are tfrE Rttegheny Mountains in the Centre ,no ti.r" Ci*is'r.lr",ri.Jiln,r, along the border between r.rn.r.u.-uro iuirnn EI.,,r, ln between the different mountain ranges there is an, area sometimes caled the Great " Vailey, Shenandoah in Virginia ,no crrl,.iirrj'in There is a moist coid winter crimate in ihe ;r.r,"iirr,rr.n of the hrghrand remains covered by trees, coniferous as well as broadleaf trees.

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gen,y ro,ing hi,s. It varies,in *loin rro, iib and extends inland where the Ohio iir., n.vv, "'g,i, tn. Mississippi. The Mississippi flo*. inio tn.- 6rji.i'n).ri* --" v' ', in.Southern Louisiana through a delta. With the exception of southe"rn ff oi,Oa lwf,icn has a tropical moist ctimate with over zo,c in winieia';l , p.ril*.n, s9a9on), most of the South_east of ile Ui; """ " h0,., winter climate with hot and ' humid sum;;.

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which rl,[. m ta s wh ich exte d from l?l:".^ i?i: fi. Maine toAtabama They hr;; ; N;;_lr.ill.l,iil*.r, 'n,tit.i.jf direction varying in attitude fr., fr,fi iz,Oifrf

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Now read the text again and complete the table berow with the missing information, work in pairs.

Mountains

D. Human and Economic Aspects

b.

Tiere are shong differences witnin tne,iouth. The states

in this region can be grouped accordinq to the comm0n economic and cutturat . The three subregions tat