Geography, climate and natural resources of great britain, the usa and australia, indigenous population

Sometimes fogs are so (густой) that it's impossible to see anything within a few meters. The winter fogs of London are, indeed, awful; they surpass all imagination. In a (густой) fog all traffic is stopped, no vehicle can move from fear of dreadful accidents. So, we may say that the British climate has three main features: it is (мягкий), (влажный) and very (переменчивый).

1)  What does the climate of any place result from?

2)  What factors chiefly influence the climate of the United Kingdom?

3)  Why are the British ports ice-free?

4)  Why do the British say that” there is a climate in other countries, but we have just weather”?

5)  What is the most important factor controlling the temperature within Britain?

6)  Describe weather changes in Great Britain throughout a year.

7)  What are the main features of the climate in Great Britain? 

Ex. 5. Complete the text by translating the words in brackets into English. Make necessary grammatical changes.

Climate in the USA

The overall climate is (умеренный), with notable exceptions. Alaska has Arctic tundra, while Hawaii and South Florida are (тропический). The Great Plains  are dry, (плоский) and grassy, turning into arid (пустыня) in the far West and Mediterranean along the California  (побережье).

The climate of the South varies. In the summer, it is hot and (влажный), but from October through April the weather can range from 60°F (15°C) to short cold spells of 20°F (-7°C) or so.

The Great Plains & Midwestern states also experience (торнадо) from the late spring to early (осень – ам.), earlier in the south and later in the north. States along the Atlantic (побережье) and the Gulf of Mexico, may experience (ураганы) between June and November. These intense and dangerous storms frequently miss the U.S. (материк), but evacuations are often ordered and should be heeded.

The (пустыни) of the Southwest are hot and dry during the summer, with temperatures often (превышающий) 100°F (38°C). (Грозы) can be expected in the southwest frequently from July through September. Winters are (мягкий), and snow is unusual. Average annual (выпадение осадков) is low, usually less than 10 inches (25 cm).

Cities of the Upper South are known for summers with temperatures reaching into the 90's (32 C) or more, with extremely high (влажность), usually over 80%. This can be a drastic change from the Southwest.

Ex.6. Below is the list of species of plants, animals and birds. Point out those typical of British, US and Australian flora and fauna and give their Russian equivalents.

Birch, beech, ash, eucalyptus, hawthorn, elm, oak, yew, shrimp, pine, chestnut, maple, heather, squirrel, echidna, beaver, hedgehog, elephant, fox, deer, platypus, seal, whale, dolphin, liana, bear, crocodile, wolf, wild boar, parrot, duck, hawk, turtle, eagle, owl, swan, flamingo, pigeon, sparrow, hummingbird, partridge, falcon, kangaroo, snake, lizard.   

DISCUSSION

I.  Make a comparative analysis of the USA, Australia and UK in terms of :

II.  The success of a country’s economic policy greatly depends on the extent to which countries exploit their geographic advantages and their ability to adapt to geographic disadvantages. Below you will find the list of geographic advantages and disadvantages of the UK, the USA and Australia. First decide which of the factors mentioned are advantageous and which are not and group them in three columns corresponding to the three countries analyzed.

1.  Quite far from the main world’s markets

2.  Situated in the center of Europe

3.  Well-established and comparatively short sea-routes with Europe