Scotland

Scotland is the most northern of the three countries constituting Great Britain. It is much smaller than England. The Cheviot Hills mark the boundary between the two countries. Unlike England and Wales it is fully exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. Scotland includes the Outer and Inner Hebrides off the west coast, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands off the north coast. On the east Scotland is bounded by the North Sea. Scotland is not far away from the Arctic Circle as it lies between 55 and 60 North. As a result of its position Scotland is not so densely populated as England or Wales.

The name of Scotland originated in the 11^th century. It is derived from the tribe of the Scots and previously applied to what is now Ireland. At that time the name was used in the form “Scotia”. The name Scotland in its present use became established in the 12^th and 13^th centuries. Physically Scotland is divided into three structural regions - the Highland, the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands.

The Highlands occupy the northern part of the country. Nearly all the region is high ground, deeply trenched with valleys and lochs. The Glen More, or Great Glen which is valley, separates the north-west Highlands from the Grampian mountain system. The valley runs from north-east to South-west and contains long narrow lochs. The north-west coastline of Scotland is occupied by numerous sea lochs.

The Hebrides are described as an archipelago with eighty inhabited islands. Many of these are rocky islands with lighthouses and only a few inhabitants. The Hebrides consist of the Outer Hebrides and Inner Hebrides. They are scenically very attractive but severe climatically and poor agriculturally.

The Orkneys are known for hill sheep kept on common grazing land though stretches of farmland can be found in some parts of the island. Herring shoals appear off the Orkneys and are fished off the coast during the summer.

The Shetland Isles are in the far north. They make a compact archipelago of a hundred islands and islets. Only twenty-four of these are inhabited. They are exceptionally thinly populated because of their position and climate.

The central Lowlands is the region located between the Highlands and the Southern Uplands. It constitutes a broad depression with south-westerly to north-westerly trend. In the lowlands there are many separate groups of hills and isolated crags composed largely of hard rocks. The population of this region is comparatively dense as two-thirds of the entire population of Scotland live in the Central Lowlands.

The Southern Uplands lie to the south of the Central Lowlands and naturally much of this part of the country consists of high ground.

The climate of Scotland is influenced by its position and the nearness of the seas which enclose Scotland on three sides. The western coasts are mildest in winter but there is not a great difference between the west and the east coasts. The south of Scotland enjoys high temperatures and there is a gradual increase northward with no abrupt regional changes. The eastern part of Scotland receives less rain than the western areas. The climate of Scotland does not interfere with its commercial activities as ice-free conditions, which prevail throughout the year, make it possible for marine traffic to go on at all times. The high amounts of rainfall are most valuable as they provide a large natural reserve of water for urban and rural use. The generation of hydro-electricity and a great variety of industries rely on local water.

The flora of Scotland is much affected by the varied climate of this small country. The Atlantic climate of the west coast is warm and wet but the rocks are mainly poor and tree growth is sparse or in some high places non-existent. This is especially characteristic of those areas where winds are of excessive strength. But in sheltered areas birch woods can be found with rowan and willow interspersed. Oak and pine grow chiefly along the fjordlike sea lochs of the mainland.

For its size Scotland has a fauna which is rich and varied. The largest wild mammal is the Atlantic grey seal. It is a huge beast, weighing at times over 50 stone. The wild red deer remains in Scotland and it is only there that it is truly wild. The roe deer may sometimes be found on the same ground as the red deer but it usually does not go so high, preferring to stay in forests. Feral goats (goats that have gone wild) occur in many deer forests and on a few small islands. Foxes and badgers are common in Scotland. During the war years foxes greatly increased in number taking heavy toll of lamb and grouse.

The wild cat has increased in the first half of the 20^th century. Otters are common on most rivers, on small islands and the rocky coastline. The polecat is rare and was considered extinct. Badgers are fairly numerous but are seldom seen as they are nocturnal animals. Scotland lost the brown bear in the 9^th century, the elk and the reindeer in the 12^th century and the beaver in the 16^th. The last wolf was killed more than two hundred years ago in 1743.

Most rivers are run by salmon and sea trout. Many lochs hold char and in many rivers there are pike. But the muddy water fish common to English rivers are for the most part absent from Scotland.

Notes*

tribe, n. – плем’я	fjordlike, adj. [fjɔːd, ˈfiːɔːrd] - фіордоподібний
the Uplands - гориста частина країни	a grey seal, n. - морський котик
the Lowlands - низинна частина країни	red deer, n. - благородний олень
to trench, v. - рити рови, копати	roe deer, n. - косуля
a loch, n. - озеро (шотл.)	reindeer, n. - північний олень
The Hebrides - Гебридські острови	badgers, n. - борсук
to be inhabited - бути заселеним	grouse, n. - рябчик
herring shoals - косяки оселедця an islet, n. – острівок a crag, n. - скала craggy, adj. – cкалистий to be sparse - бути рідким, розсіяним, розкиданим a birch, n. – береза a rowan, n. – горобина a willow, n. – верба to intersperse, v. - розсипати, пересипати	to toll, v. - (тут) заманювати в пастку звірів nocturnal animal - нічний звір elk, n. – лось beaver, n. - бобер sea trout, n. – форель char, n. - слиж pike, n. – щука the Highland - гори північної Шотландії

Talking Points*

What’s the origin of Scotland?

What are structural regions of Scotland?

Is the climate of Scotland variable?

What’s the fauna and flora of Scotland?

Is Scotland mainly industrial or agricultural country?

Are you familiar with the facts that…

· British actors have lots of traditions and superstitions. For example, you don’t say “good luck” to an actor. You say “break a leg”. It’s strange but true. “Good luck” is bad luck. Also, actors never say the name of Shakespeare’s famous play “Macbeth”. They always call it “The Scottish Play”. In theatres the name Macbeth brings bad luck. A third tradition is about whistling. You must never whistle in a theatre dressing room. Someone who whistles must go out of the room and turn around three times. Only after that, can they knock on the door and come in again.

· Pantomimes are traditional British plays. They are for children but grown-ups adore them as well. You see them at Christmas. Some famous pantomimes are: Cinderella, Aladdin, Peter Pan and Babes in the Wood. A lot of these stories are very old. In pantomime there’s always a young hero. He’s the Principal Boy, but the actor is usually a woman. Also, there’s always a funny, old woman. She’s the Pantomime Dame, but the actor is always a man.

· There's a strange symptom among Edinburgh festival audiences called the 50-minute fidget. It's a bit like the seven-year itch, only shorter. And less likely to end in divorce. The whole ecology and economy of the Fringe [1] is geared around the hour-long show: around 75% of theatre listings in the official programme have running times of between 45 minutes and an hour and a quarter. That's no surprise: the longer your show, the more expensive your venue hire will be. Theatre has a social duty to create work or alternative thinking that challenge the fundamental preoccupations of the society.

Unit 7

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