Topics for the 5th form

Examination topics for the 5^th form

1.     Imagine that you are having a Geography lesson tomorrow. Get ready to speak about continents and countries. Tell the class how many oceans there are on the Earth; name all the continents and some countries. What are the biggest and the smallest countries in the world?

2.     English is taught and learned in almost all countries of the world nowadays. Prove that English has become the language of the planet. Name some of the English-speaking countries. Give some examples of British English and American English.

3.     They say the Earth is in danger. How can people protect animals, plants and water on our planet?

4.     Imagine that you are a teacher of Geography. Use the map of the United Kingdom and tell your imaginable pupils about geographical position of Great Britain. What languages are spoken on the British Isles? Speak about Union Jack.

5.     Imagine that you have a chance to visit the United Kingdom and to have a talk with the members of the Royal family. Speak about the Queen, the Parliament of Great Britain and the Commonwealth.

6.     Imagine that you are invited to Great Britain. You should know English traditions. Remember in what way the British people differ from the people living on the continent. Don’t forget to speak about table manners.

7.     People say, “Health is above wealth”. Prove that this proverb is true. Say what people should do to keep fit.

8.     Imagine that you’ve received a letter from your English friend who is fond of sport. What could he write about popular British sports and games?

Sample answers 

Topic 1. Continents and Countries

   The planet we live on is the Earth. On the Earth you can see land, seas, oceans and continents.

    There are five oceans (the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Southern Ocean) and six continents. The continents are: Eurasia, Africa, Australia, North America, South America and Antarctic. There are usually many countries on each continent. For example there are more than 40 countries in Africa, but there is only one large country in Australia. I would like to name some countries from each continent: Russia, Great Britain, Spain and Germany are in Europe. China and India are in Asia. Canada and the United States are in America. Egypt is an African country.

   The largest country in the world is Russia. The smallest country is the Vatican. All countries have interesting people, places, animals and plants.

   People of different nationalities live in these countries. They speak different languages. Each country has its national flag, anthem and its own traditions and customs.

Topic 2. English-Speaking Countries

      I think English is the most popular language nowadays. It has become the most important international language. People all over the world speak English.

     In many countries people learn English as a foreign language. In such countries as Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand English is a native language. These are English-speaking countries.

     But though they all speak English, yet it is a little different in each of these countries. People speak American English in the USA and British English in Great Britain. Different words often name the same things. For example, people live in flats in England but they live in apartment in America. They eat cookies and candies in the USA, but biscuits and sweets in Great Britain. And I think that’s very interesting indeed.

Topic 3. The Earth is in danger

   People have lived on our planet for many years. They depend on it, on the sun, on animals and plants around them. But nowadays the Earth, a lot of wild animals and plants are in danger.

   People have hunted and killed many wild animals. The result is very sad. For example, there are few Indian tigers and African elephants left on the Earth now.

   Some people’s activities do a lot of harm to the forests. Because of that many animals and plants lose their homes.

   Water is very important for life. But very little water on the Earth is good for drinking. Even fish die in dirty water of rivers and lakes.

   So, the problem now is how to protect life on the Earth.

   There are a lot of simple things we could do to save our planet for the future. We mustn’t drop litter in public places. We must recycle glass, paper, plastic and metal. We must save electricity, gas and water. We must take care of birds and animals. We can plant trees and clean rivers and lakes. We must try and help nature.

Topic 4. Great Britain

     The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official name of the state which is situated in the British Isles. The UK consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

     The UK is separated from the continent by the English Channel and the Straits of Dover. The UK is also washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the north and the North Sea in the east.

     More than 56 million people live in Britain. Many of them live in big industrial cities like London.

     Everyone in Britain speaks English, but in some parts of Scotland and Wales people speak different languages as well.

     The flag of the United Kingdom is known as the Union Jack. It is made up of three crosses: the cross of St. George, the cross of St. Andrew and the cross of St. Patrick.

Topic 5. The Queen and the Parliament

      In Britain the Queen is the Head of State, but in fact she doesn’t rule the country. Though the royal family is still very important for the country. The Queen is the symbol of the country, its history and its traditions.

     The real power in the country belongs to the British Parliament and to the British Government. The Parliament has two houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is more important as it makes laws. The members of the House of Commons are elected every five years. The members of the House of Lords are not elected, they are permanent.

     At the beginning of the 20^th century many countries all over the world were part of the British Empire. Now they are independent countries. But in 1949 Britain and the former colonies founded the Commonwealth, which includes many countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others. The Queen of the UK is also the Head of the Commonwealth.

Topic 6. The British way of life

     Let’s compare the British way of life with life on the continent. On the continent people seldom speak about weather. In England people repeat the phrase “It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?” two hundred times a day.

     On the continent some people like cats, others don’t but in England cats are very special animals. Everyone loves them and takes care of them.

     You can offend people on the continent if you laugh at them or make jokes about their life and work. But the English accept everything with a sense of humour. You can offend them only if you tell them they have no sense of humour.

     On the continent people have good food. In England people have good table manners. Some of them are:

1)     You should sit up straight.

2)      You shouldn’t eat with your fingers.

3)      You shouldn’t put your elbows on the table.

4)      You should put your dirty knife, spoon and fork on your plate.

5)      You shouldn’t talk with your mouth full.

6)      You shouldn’t lick your fingers.

7)      You should say “Thank you” after the meal.

Topic 7. Health is above Wealth 

     

A proverb says, ‘Health is above wealth’. I agree with it. I think that we can buy everything we want if we have money. But we can’t buy health.

   So if we want to be healthy we should take care of our health. We should eat healthy food – fruit, vegetables, lots of salad, meat, fish and dairy products. We should take regular exercises to keep fit. In summer we can play volleyball, swim or ride a bicycle. In winter we can ski or skate.

   We should take a cool or cold shower to keep fit. We should get up early and go to bed early if we want to be healthy. And we should remember not to smoke or drink alcohol.

Topic 8.  British Sports and Games

     Football is one of the most popular sports nowadays. It is spread all over the country – in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their national teams compete with each other every year. The Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London is one of the most important football matches of the year.

   Cricket is another summer sport. It is known that people played cricket in England as early as 1550. Nowadays this summer game is played in schools, colleges and universities and in most towns and villages of Britain. Cricket is a very long and slow game. International cricket matches can last for 5 days.

   Tennis, or lawn tennis, is another popular game in Britain. It was first played in England in 1872. Nowadays every summer in June, the British hold their famous International Tennis Championship at Wimbledon, in west London.

   Swimming, boating and sailing have always been popular in Britain and are enjoyed by thousands of people.