Read the text about the UK. Choose the words from the list below and put them in the right places in the gaps.

Names, channel, Scotland, Thames, coal, English, the Queen, the capital, sunny, islands, different, castles, richest, valleys, farming, industrial, Ireland, ocean, political, deer, wool, business, coast, salmon, musical.

Great Britain has several different (1). Some people say Britain, or the United Kingdom, or UK. There are four different counties in the United Kingdom: England, (2), Wales and Northern Ireland. Everyone from Britain is British, but only people from England are (3). People from Scotland are Scottish, people from Wales are Welsh, and people from Northern Ireland are Irish.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an island state: it occupies the territory of the British Isles and is composed of 5,500 (4), large and small. The two main islands are Great Britain (in which are England, Scotland, Wales) and (5) (in which is Northern Ireland).

The UK is situated off the northwest (6) of Europe between The Atlantic (7) on the north and northwest and the North Sea on the east and is separated from the European continent by the English (8) (or la Manche).

The largest cities of Great Britain are London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, and Edinburgh. The most important ports are London, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff.

Britain is a small country, but every part is (9). Scotland is the land of mountains, lakes and romantic (10). The winters are cold, with plenty of snow, but the summers are often warm and (11). Most farmers keep sheep, and there are many small factories which make fine sweaters from their (12). In some parts of Scotland there are very few people. (13) live in the hills, and the rivers are full of (14). But Glasgow and Edinburgh are large and busy and modern.

Northern Ireland has its problems, but it has its beauty, too. In the warm, wet climate, the grass grows very green, and much of the land is a (15) country. Belfast is a large industrial city with many fine buildings and a big port.

Wales is a special place, a country of high mountains and pretty (16). But Wales has plenty of industry, too, with many factories and (17) mines. The people of Wales are very (18). Every year they have a festival of Welsh music and poetry.

London is (19) of the UK. It is situated on the river (20). London has a lot of ancient buildings: the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, etc. London has four parts: the City, Westminster, the West End, and the East End. The City is the (21) part of London, Westminster – the (22) part, the West Part is the (23) part of London, the East End is the (24) part.

The head of the state in Great Britain is (25), but she has no real power. Parliament is the real government in Britain. The Queen represents Britain. She travels around the UK, meets people, visits schools and hospitals, goes to important local events. British people love and admire Her Majesty.