Nothern Ireland

Northern Ireland is the smallest component of the United Kingdom. It occupies the northeast of the island of Ireland, only one-sixth of its territory. North Ireland contains six of the nine counties of the historic province of Ulster and that is why the name Ulster is sometimes used as equivalent to Northern Ireland. Its capital city is Belfast.

If one asks the Irishman away from home what he misses most about Ireland, he will probably tell you “the greenness”. Irish poets put it in a different way when they call Ireland “the Emerald Isle”. Is the grass really greener in Ireland? The fact is that the winds usually blow in from the Atlantic Ocean and make the air and soil warm and damp. Grass grows well in such a climate and it makes the island look so beautiful.

There are low hills and peaks of rocks in the northwest, while the northeast sector of island is a plateau. The Mourne Mountains in the southern slope down to Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the British Isles. The rivers of Ireland are short, but deep. The largest river is the Shanon.

The population of Northern Ireland is over 1.5 million people. 53 per cent of the total population live in urban areas. The whole economy of Northern Ireland is closely integrated with that of Great Britain. It has its roots in three basic industries – agriculture, textiles and shipbuilding. The largest industry is agriculture conducted for the most part on small family farms. It occupies about 72 per cent of the land area.

Belfast, the capital of Northern Irelands is the leading industrial centre and a large port. Its chief industries are the production of linen and other textiles, clothing, shipbuilding, engineering.

In Ireland the national musical instrument is the harp.

References:

1. Ulster – Ольстер (историческая область на севере о-ва Ирландия; большая ее часть после раскола страны в 1921 году была включена в качестве автономной провинции в состав Соединенного Королевства как Северная Ирландия)

2. the Emerald Isle - Изумрудный остров (так называют Ирландию из-за ярко-зеленого цвета растительности, особенно травы)

3. the Mourne Mountains – гора Морн

4. Lough Neagh — озеро Лох Ней

5. the Shannon — р. Шеннон

Exercises:

1. Say if these statements true or false:

1. Northern Ireland is the largest component of the United Kingdom.

2. Irish poets call Ireland “the Emerald Isle” because there are a lot of forests.

3. Lough Neagh is the largest lake in the British Isles.

4. The rivers of Ireland are long and deep.

5. Belfast's industries are the production of linen and other textiles, clothing, shipbuilding, engineering.

2. Find in the text the English equivalents to the Russian words and word combinations:

1. North Ireland содержит six of the nine counties of the historic province of Ulster and that is why the название Ulster is sometimes used as equivalent to Northern Ireland.

2. If one asks the ирландца away from home what he скучает most about Ireland, he will возможно tell you “the greenness”.

3. The largest industry is сельское хозяйство conducted for the most part on small family farms.

4. Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland is the главный промышленный centre and a large port.

5. Its главные industries are the production of linen and other textiles, clothing, кораблестроение, engineering.

6. In Ireland the national музыкальный instrument is the harp.

Unit 5