Northern Ireland. Belfast is also the most important port and commercial and industrial centre

Northern Ireland, also known as Ulster, is still a part of the United Kingdom. It is made up of six countries: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone. One third of the population lives in and around the capital, Belfast.

Belfast is also the most important port and commercial and industrial centre. Belfast is a modern city, a city of the 19^th century and of the industrial revolution. Its expansion was rather later than that of most other British industrial cities and it thus avoided some of their worst features. There are a few trim Georgian buildings and one or two houses dating from the 17^th century, but the mass of the city’s buildings are late Victorian or belong to the present century. Some parts of the territory, those that are not close to the capital, have remained mainly rural.

The Irish population is divided into two groups: the Protestants and the Catholic. The Protestants are of British origin. They are descendants of British settlers who came to Ireland in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, during and after the Reformation. The Catholics are mostly natives of Ireland.

The Protestants were the majority and dominated the Catholics with strong discrimination. In 1968 the Catholics began the movement for equal civil rights.

The fightings between the two groups of the population continue to this day.

Northern Ireland has a strong cultural tradition: songs, dances, literature and festivals.

It has its own Art Council and there orchestras, theatres, ballet and opera companies.

 

IV. Words to be learnt:

population – население

origin – происхождение

descendant – потомок

settler – поселенец, переселенец

discrimination – дискриминация

civil rights – гражданские права

Exercises to the text:

 

I. Find the Russian equivalents in the right-hand column for the following:

1. modern	1. избегать
2. revolution	2. принадлежать
3. to avoid	3. деревенский
4. building	4. движение
5. to belong	5. революция
6. important	6. большинство
7. rural	7. глава
8. to remain	8. село
9. majority	9. современный
10. movement	10. оставаться
	11. важный
	12. строение

 

II. Fill in the blanks with appropriate article or preposition where necessary:

1. Northern Ireland, also known as Ulster, is still a part … … United Kingdom.

2. One third … the population lives … and around … capital, Belfast.

3. Belfast is also … most important port and commercial and industrial centre.

4. The Irish population is divided … two groups: the Protestants and the Catholic.

5. The fightings … the two groups of the population continue to this day.

III. Complete the beginning of the following sentences:

1. … a city of the 19^th century and of the industrial revolution.

2. … that of most other British industrial cities and it thus avoided some of their worst features.

3. … who came to Ireland in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, during and after the Reformation.

4. … and dominated the Catholics with strong discrimination.

5. … has a strong cultural tradition: songs, dances, literature and festivals.

 

IV. Answer the following questions:

1. How many countries are there in the Northern Ireland?

2. What is the capital of Northern Ireland?

3. Into what parts is the Irish population divided?

4. Who are the Catholics?

5. Who are the Protestants?

6. Has the Catholic-Protestant problem been solved?

7. Does Northern Ireland have strong cultural traditions?

 

V. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English:

1. Ольстер – второе название Северной Ирландии.

2. Белфаст является самым важным коммерческим портом.

3. Территории, расположенные вдали от столицы – сельские.

4. Протестанты являются потомками британских поселенцев.

5. Католики в основном уроженцы Ирландии.

6. В стране имела место сильная дискриминация.

7. Борьба между протестантами и католиками продолжается и до сих пор.

8. В Северной Ирландии сохранились свои культурные традиции.

9. Ирландия считается самым чистым местом в мире.

Grammar Material