Isles or Islands?
Britain is known as Great Britain, and consists of England, Scotland
and Wales. The official name of the country, however, is the United Kingdom which includes
Northern Ireland too, but not the Republic of Ireland (Eire) which is a separate country.
Anyhow, both the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland are in the British Isles. In
other words, the British Isles include Great Britain and Ireland, with all the islands
that are near their coast. The British Isles are a geographical but not a political unit.
“Isle” is a word most commonly used with names. Let us talk about some of the isles.
A large island lying in the Irish Sea, Man, was once a Viking colony
and retains many old Norse relics and traditions. The island’s parliament, the House of
Keys, is one of the oldest in the world, with a history going back more than a thousand
years. Every year on July 5th, an ancient ceremony is held on Tynwald Hill, when the
Lieutenant-Governor reads a summary of all the Acts of Parliament passed in the preceding
year. It was at Tynwald that the Norsemen had their original seat of government, and it is
true that the Lieutenant-Governor reads the law today both in Manx and English. Manx is
another of the varied languages spoken in the British Isles. Unlike Welsh and Gaelic, it
is not in common use today.
About 50,000 people live on the Isle of Man, but during the summer
months, this number is multiplied by ten, for vast numbers of tourists cross by steamer
and plane from the great English Midland cities.
Douglas, capital of the Isle, is a big town with a spectacular
promenade on which you will see horse trams still at work. But Douglas is the busiest
cross-Channel harbour in the British Isles.
Castletown
The real charm and interest of Man lies away from the capital. Places
like Castletown, Port Erin and Onchan should be visited during a tour.
Manx people are hospitable and kind, although they are rather naive. It
would be difficult to define their national characteristics. Manx cats have no tails, but
most of them were once imported from the mainland. Genuine Manx cats are rather expensive
to buy.
The Isle of Man offers beautiful scenery, crowded beaches, the
world’s largest ballroom, with space for 7,000 couples on the floor, and fishing and
golf, to say nothing of lonely solitude.
Isle of Iona
Isle of Mull and Isle of Iona are not far from Scotland. Mull is one of
the largest islands in the area, almost 30 miles long and 24 miles across at its widest
point. However, due to numerous sea lochs its coastline measures about 300 miles.
Oban
Approaching Mull on the steamer from Oban, the first prominent landmark
is Duart Castle, the Seat of the Macleans, standing like a rugged cliff and having a long
history. There many tourists feel that they have entered a different world, where the rush
and cares of modern life can be forgotten.
Ben More Mountain rises to a height of 3,169 feet and dominates the
Isle. Coach tours in Mull give a view of numerous water falls and sea lochs giving a
panoramic views of many other smaller islands.
Iona is widely known as “The Sacred Isle”, mainly due to the fact
that the St. Columbia landed there in 563 and was the first to bring Christianity to the
islands and mainland of Scotland. No doubt for this reason Iona was described by the
famous Dr. Johnson as “the luminary of the Caledonian regions”.
Every year Iona is visited by thousands of tourists. The most widely
visited places are the restored Abbey, the ruins of the Nunnery, founded in 1203, and the
stand beside St. Oran’s Chapel at the burial ground of many Scottish Kings. Iona is an
island where one can find sandy bays protected by high rocks and enjoy the beauty of wild
flowers.
In the English Channel there is another big island, the Isle of Wight.
It is separated from the mainland of Hampshire by two stretches of water. Some 147 square
miles of the country make up the island. It is big enough to possess a dozen small towns
and several rivers to absorb 90,000 people. Yet you can find solitude there.
This island sprang into prominence during the 19th century when Queen
Victoria took up residence at Osborne House, near Cowes, and Alfred Lord Tennyson came to
live at Farringford, near Freshwater. It was realized that the island would make a
splendid health resort, and the region known as the Undercliff was selected as a winter
holiday area. Ventnor, a hilly town facing south across the English Channel, enjoyed a
boom during the latter years of the 19th century. There are palm trees and subtropical
vegetation along the Undercliff, and the area is mild by day in winter, trapping all the
sun that shines.
Today there you can visit not only Ventnor, but its sister resorts of
Sandown and Shanklin, full of summer holiday makers. Almost 100 years ago the Cowes
Regatta was a supreme event, attended by the Imperial Majesties and Highnesses from all
over the world. It is a great event even today, attended by the Duke of Edinburgh and
Prince Charles.
There are a lot of sailing clubs at Ryde and Yarmouth, but the charm of
the Isle of Wight remains. There are cliffs of many colours which change even when you
gaze upon them, especially at Alum Bay, and each mile has something new to offer the
visitor.
I. Questions on the Text:
A.
1. What is the official name of the country which includes Scotland,
Wales and England?
2. If you live in Britain can you be Irish by descent or must you be
English, Welsh or Scottish?
3. Is the Republic of Ireland a separate state? What is its capital?
4. What is the capital of Northern Ireland?
5. Is Isle of Man a large or a small island?
6. In what sea is it?
7. Is its parliament the oldest in the world or one of the oldest ones?
8. What does the lieutenant-governor read every July 5th?
9. Which language is spoken on the island besides English?
10. What languages are spoken in the British Isles?
11. How many people constantly live on the Isle of Man?
12. What is the name of its capital?
13. Is Douglas only the capital of the island?
14. What places of interest can you see there?
15. Can you say something special about Manx people and Manx cats?
If you sum up your answers to 1–15 you will have a summary of the
first text. Do this.
B.
1. Where are the Isle of Mull and the Isle of Iona found?
2. Is Isle of Mull smaller or bigger than the Isle of Man? What is its
size?
3. How can you reach it?
4. What mountain dominates the Isle? What is its height?
5. What ship brought Christianity to “The Sacred Isle” and when?
6. What attractions does the text mention?
7. Is there a burial ground of Scottish Kings? Where exactly is it?
8. What else can you enjoy there?
C.
1. Is Isle of Wight far from the mainland? What is it its territory?
2. How many people live there permanently?
3. Who and when was it decided to have a residence near Cowes?
4. Did it help to change the island into a resort? Why?
5. What vegetation can you find in the region of Undercliff?
6. Is that the only health resort there today?
7. What event is still very popular on the Isle of Wight in summer?
8. What members of the Royal families usually attend it?
9. Are there any sailing clubs there?
10. Do you believe people can swim there, in the English Channel, in
summer?
II. Try to write in 150–200 words a composition about any islands or
isles of your country.
By Natalya Predtechenskaya
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