Semester II test on reading

The United Kingdom is a multinational country today. But its people make up a unity. They call themselves British. Everyone who was born in Britain is British. But don“t call a Welsh or Scottish person English. He won“t like it. Only people from England can be called English. People from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland are not English. The are Scottish or the Scots, Welsh and Irish.

More than 56 mln people live in Britain. Many of them live in big industrial cities like London. Manchester and Liverpool, for example, are the biggest industrial cities in the centre of England. Other industrial cities are Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield and others. Such cities as Plymouth, Portsmouth and Liverpool are big ports where many sailors and fishermen live. Bristol is not a very large port. It is smaller than others. But it“s very beautiful because it“s a rural port. Stratford-upon-Avon is a very interesting town and the birthplace of famous Shakespeare. There is a church where he“s buried.

Everyone in Britain speaks English. But in some parts of Scotland and Wales people speak different languages as well. The Welsh are espessially proud of their language. They like to speak Welsh, to sing songs in Welsh. And when you travel you can see road signs in Welsh all over Wales. Everyone in the UK speaks English but they all speak it differently. A Scottish person has to listen carefully if he wants to understand a Londoner or a Welsh person.

True / false

1     The UK is a city.

2     People who live in the UK are British.

3     Scots live in the UK.

4     The population of Britain is fifty six thousand people.

5     Manchester and Liverpool are the biggest ports in the UK.

6     Many sailors and fisherman live in Liverpool, Plymouth and Portmouth.

7     Bristol is not a port.

8     Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon.

9     People from Wales speak English and Welsh.

10  Everyone in the UK speak Englash.

11  Scottish people are very proud of their language.

12  It is hard for a Scottish person to understand a Londoner.

Answer the questions

1)What is the population of Britain?

2)  What cities do the sailors live?

3)  Where was Shakespeare born?

4)  Manchester and Liverpool, for example, are the biggest industrial cities in the centre ofEngland, aren“t they?

5)  Is Bristol a large port?

6)  What language do the British people speak?