1) The Houses of Parliament; 2) Oxford Street; 3) the Port of London; 4) the National Gallery; 5) beautiful parks; 6) St.Paul’s Cathedral; 7) district where the cockney live; 8) the Bank of England; 9) Buckingham palace; 10) Westminster Abbey; 11) the Stock Exchange; 12) Trafalgar Square; 13) the British Museum; 14) the Tower.
a) Match their names to appropriate districts of London:
The City Westminster
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The west End The East End
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b) Complete the following sentences and say where the places are situated:
1) There are … in …. 2) … are in …. 3) … are situated in …. 4) One can find … in …. 5) … includes ….
13. Find in the text information about:
a) the historical parts of London;
b) its business centre;
c) its official centre;
d) its richest part;
e) the industrial district of London;
f) places of interest in London;
g) old buildings;
h) royal places;
i) Trafalgar Square and the area around it.
14. Translate the sentences into English:
1. Лондон – самый большой город в Европе. Он простирается почти на 30 миль. 2. Вместе с окраинами он называется «Большой Лондон». 3. Сити – старейшая часть города. Лондон начал расти с этого места. 4. Во время второй мировой войны Сити был сильно разрушен (to be destroyed). 5. Трафальгарская площадь – это место, где происходят различные демонстрации.
6. Картинные галереи Лондона – богатейшие в мире. 7. Сохо (Soho) – район города, где живут люди искусства: художники, артисты, писатели. 8. Британский музей содержит многочисленные древние манускрипты, монеты, скульптуры. 9. Лонlон гордится своими прекрасными мостами через Темзу. Из 15 мостов самыми знаменитыми являются Лондонский мост, Тауэрский и Вестминстерский.
15. Read for more information:
Speaking about London
London is the capital of Great Britain. Everybody knows that London is the biggest city in Europe. However, London is one of the oldest cities in Europe, too. The town on the Thames was built by the Romans in the middle of the first century. In our days numerous places of interest in London show a 20century-old history and rich traditions of the city. Let us acquainted with the most important of them a bit closer.
The City of London
The City of London is a small spot of land covering 1 square mile only as the Englishmen say. But this small area is the heart of London and its birthplace. The level of modern streets of the City is 6 meters higher than the original level of the town. The earliest traces of habitation relate to the first century. The City is the oldest part of London. In fact it is the town which was founded by the Romans. This place on the Thames was very suitable for a port so they built a town from which they could trade with the continent. The Romans called it Londinium and surrounded it with a stone defensive wall. The Romans built a stone bridge across the Thames. Today we know it as London Bridge. The Romans left the town in the fifth century. In the ninth century the Scandinavians began to attack London and the city was burnt several times. Then in the middle of the eleventh century the Normans led by William conquered Britain and settled themselves in London. As any other medieval town London had a cathedral which was not only its religious centre but a place of its social life. It was St. Paul’s Cathedral. Many important problems of the town were discussed there and many historical events took place in the cathedral. In all times the City has been a separate part of London. It has its own Lord-Mayor and its own police. There’s a traditional ceremony of the Queen’s official visit to the City and Lord-Mayor meets Her Majesty at the border between Westminster and the City.
The old City has left no traces because the Great Fire of London ruined it in 1666. Even St. Paul’s Cathedral was destroyed then. So, today we can see the result of building activity of English architects headed by Christopher Wren. They had to rebuild the City after the Fire. Every street of the City was ended by a beautiful church. Christopher Wren created there almost fifty churches which were wonderful decoration of the town. All the streets started their way from the heart of the City with St. Paul’s Cathedral which remained the most important centre of the whole composition. Reconstructed by Christopher Wren it became a real architectural masterpiece of the seventeenth century. The cathedral was crowned by a huge dome which is 111 meters high. Its dome is the second large dome in the world after St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. Christopher Wren didn’t saw the result of his work. He died before the cathedral was finished. The famous architect is buried inside his creation work. There is a table with inscription on his tomb which says: “If you are looking for a monument – look around”. Later on some famous people of England were buried in ST. Paul’s Cathedral including Admiral Nelson.
In our days the City of London is the largest business and commercial centre in Great Britain and one of the most important in the world. Numerous banks and offices of well-known firms are situated there. Such important State Institutions as the Bank of England, London Stock Exchange, and the Old Bailey are in the City too.
The Tower of London
The Royal palace and a fortress of Her Majesty the Tower of London is a title which shows the importance of that place in a more than nine hundred-years’ history of England. The person who got the keys to the Tower – got the keys to the whole kingdom.
Unlike many other old capitals in Europe there was no constant royal residence in London. Fortresses and palaces were built outside the wall of the town. Considering the importance of London William the Conqueror built in the eleventh century at its eastern border a fortress called the White Tower. That was a place where he could defend himself from Londoners. William’s successors continued to make the Tower stronger and stronger so in all times it was the main fortified royal residence of England. Till the eighteenth century English kings and queens spent the night before their coronation here. The Crown Treasures have been kept in the Tower for more than three hundred years.
In the course of its long history the Tower was used for many purposes. In the Middle Ages there was a Royal Mint inside its walls. The State Archives was kept there. The first astronomy laboratory and the oldest zoo were situated in the Tower till the nineteenth century. The zoo was begun by the German Emperor Fredrick who had sent to Henry I three leopards which were the symbols of the English king. One could see a polar bear, lions, elephants and other animals there. Like other old fortresses the Tower of London was not only a royal residence but was also used as a prison. Many people famous in English history including Queen Elizabeth I, and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, Sir Thomas More were kept there. Some of them were executed there and Queen Mary Stuart was among them. The last execution in the Tower was in 1747.
The Tower of London is not only one of the largest and well-known fortresses but it is also the oldest architectural monument in London. It includes a lot of bigger and smaller towers, palaces, gates and other buildings erected in different periods. The castle was surrounded by several lines of four meters-thick walls with bastions.
The White Tower is the oldest part of the fortress. This is a big and massive building with thick walls and four smaller towers on its corners which was built in 1075—1097. This is the most defended place in the Tower. It was used as a residence for the kings and queens. The White Tower has the Armory. Even today one can see there all kinds of the arms of different periods of English history since the Normans (the eleventh century). Some of the pieces belonged to the kings. The fact that many of the arms were used in old battles makes them even more interesting.
The royal palace was built close to the White Tower in the thirteenth century. It had been the main residence till the sixteenth century when Queen Elizabeth left it remembering the time when she was imprisoned in the Tower. During the revolution of the seventeenth century the palace was ruined by the army of Cromwell. Just near the palace St. Peter’s church stood. This is an architectural monument of the thirteenth century bit it was rebuilt in the sixteenth century.
In our days the Tower of London is a popular museum and numerous tourists visit it. The royal guard wears a historical uniform. Many historical traditions are connected with the Tower. One of the legends is about the black ravens. They say that Britain will be strong and wealthy if the ravens don’t leave the Tower. A special serviceman takes care of the birds and the British Government gives money to feed them.
At night, for more than seven hundred years, a special ceremony has taken place at the main gates of the Tower which is called “the Ceremony of the Keys” and the fortress of Her Majesty closes its gates to keep its most interesting mysteries.
Westminster
Westminster is another part of London where many historical, cultural and art masterpieces are situated. Westminster Palace and Westminster Abbey are the most important of them. More than nine centuries of history of the Kingdom are connected with them.
In older time, when there was no palace or abbey here, the settlement at this place was called the City of Westminster. They say that the earliest monastery appeared there in the seventh century. It was situated to the west of the City of London so the town was called Westminster that means “the western monastery”. It remained a small quiet town till the middle of the eleventh century when King Edward the Confessor started to build a new stone church.
The popular architectural monument Westminster Abbey we can see today was built in the thirteenth—fourteenth centuries. It is one of the most beautiful masterpieces of Gothic architecture in Western Europe. Its height is almost 157 m. The best Gothic churches of France were taken as models for the wonderful church of Westminster Abbey. In its plan the church is a cross surrounded by numerous halls and chapels.
The monastery had existed till the sixteenth century. The building of the church was closely connected with the life of royal family so it continued to be very important and played a special role in the Kingdom.
First, almost all coronations of English kings and queens took place there. The Coronation Chair stands there which is very old. Then, in Westminster Abbey English kings and queens have been buried since the thirteenth century. In the seventeenth century they started to bury famous people of England in Westminster Abbey – poets, writers, actors, scientists and others including Winston Churchill. This made Westminster Abbey quite significant for Englishmen.
The architectural complex of Westminster Abbey includes Capitola Hall which is well-known not only as an architectural masterpiece but also as a place where the English Parliament seated in the end of the thirteenth century.
Not far from the Abbey a royal palace was built in the eleventh century. At that time Westminster was separated from the City of London by the area in several kilometers. The palace was called Westminster Palace and it had been remained the main royal residence till the sixteenth century. It lived through several fires in the seventeenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries including German bombing during World War Two. Westminster-hall is the oldest part of the palace. The most important for the kingdom events took place there. Westminster hall was also used for coronations. However, only a little of the original building of the eleventh century has been preserved till today. Most of it was constructed by Charles Barry after the fire of 1834.
In our days Westminster palace is known as the Houses of Parliament. The building stretches along the Thames. The northern part of it ends with Queen Victoria Tower which is the biggest square tower in the world. It is through this tower where the Queen enters the Houses of Parliament. When the Queen is in one can see the British flag above the tower. Another tower is above the southern part of the building. It houses the main clock of the kingdom. A huge bell of the clock is called “Big Ben” after the name of Benjamin Hall the master who made the clock.
In the northern part of the building the House of Lords is placed. Its colour is red. There is the Queen’s Chair in the hall where the House of Lords seats. The southern part of the building belongs to the House of Commons. It is decorated in green. Both parts are separated by the Central Hall where the members of Parliament can meet. The chair of the Speaker in the House of Commons is situated on the same line as the Sack of the Lord-Chancellor.
Buckingham Palace is the place where the English Queen lives. One can see a monument to Queen Victoria before the palace. Every day a ceremony called “Changing of the Guards” takes place before Buckingham Palace. It attracts numerous tourists.
The West End
It is strange but in all European capitals rich people preferred to live in the western parts of the cities. That was true for London too. Rich people began to inhabit it three hundred years ago, in the seventeenth century. Now the West End occupies a large area. It is known by its wonderful parks and gardens which are situated beside the beautiful palaces. The most famous of them are St. James Park and Hyde Park. In old times they were the places where the kings went hunting. The Londoners are proud of their parks which they call “the lungs of the city”. Everybody knows that numerous theatres, museums, aristocratic clubs together with the most luxurious shops, restaurants and hotels can be found in the West End. In London they say that money is made in the City and spent it in the West End.
The main streets in this part of London are Oxford-Street, Regent-Street, Piccadilly and New-Bond Street. There are many squares in the West End. Some of them are small and quiet, the other are large and noisy, full of active life. The name Piccadilly is one of the best known in London. A nice fountain with a charming statue is situated in the centre of Piccadilly Circus. The Trafalgar Square is hardly less famous than Piccadilly. Church St. Martin’s-in the-Fields is the oldest building in Trafalgar Square. In the middle of the square one can see a huge column with a bronze figure of Admiral Nelson. He was a hero of the battle of Trafalgar which gave the name to the square. There are four figures of lions at the foot of the column. Trafalgar Square is a place where meeting and demonstrations take place. Many pigeons live there and Londoners like to feed them.
The most famous museums are also situated in the West End. The National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the British Museum are among them. The art galleries demonstrate the best works of well-known Masters representing history of English painting. The British Museum is world famous for its richest historical collection including masterpieces of old art from many countries such as Egypt, India, Greece, and others. The British Museum has also a big library and researchers from all the word come to work there.
16. Questions for discussion:
1. Did you know anything new about London from the texts?
2. What parts of London can be called historical districts?
3. Have you read any interesting facts about the Tower?
4. What was most striking for you?
5. What is St. Paul’s Cathedral famous for?
6. Which district is a symbol of Royal England?
7. Why are Englishmen proud of Westminster Abbey?
8. Is there another name for the Houses of Parliament?
9. How old is the British Parliament?
10. What traditions or legends of London do you remember?
11. What region represents aristocratic London?
12. Which places of interest in London do you like most of all? Why?
13. How do you think, which of architectural monuments in London is the oldest? And which one is the most beautiful?
14. What famous people of England are mentioned in the texts? Were any new names for you?
15. Would you like to live in London? Why?
16. What place would you like to live in? Why?
Additional Vocabulary
Archives – архив
arms – оружие
armory – арсенал
to be imprisoned – находится в плену
birthplace – колыбель
Capitola Hall – зал Капитула
Changing of the Guard – смена караула
church – церковь
to conquer – завоевать
creation work – творение
Cromwell, Oliver – Оливер Кромвель,
руководитель революции 17 века
the Crown Treasures – сокровища короны
defensive wall – оборонительная стена
Edward the Confessor – Эдуард Исповедник,
король Англии
elephant – слон
to enter – входить
gate – ворота
Gothic architecture – готическая архитектура
government – правительство
guard – караул
Her Majesty – Её Величество
key – ключ
lion – лев
the Lord-Chancellor – лорд-канцлер,
председатель палаты лордов
lungs – лёгкие
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland – Мария Стюарт,
королева Шотландии
Middle Ages – средние века
mystery – тайна
the Normans – норманны
polar bear – белый медведь
ravens – вороны
the Romans – римляне
to seat – заседать
the Scandinavians – скандинавы
the Speaker – спикер,
председатель палаты общин
Sir Thomas More – сэр Томас Мор,
английский мыслитель
traces – следы
trade – торговля
Lord-Mayor – лорд-мэр (в Сити)
William the Conqueror – Вильгельм Завоеватель
zoo – зоопарк
17. Make up a topic according to the given plan:
London
I. London is the capital of Great Britain.
1) position and status;
2) population;
3) the parts of the city.
II. The City
1) financial and business centre;
2) history and places of interest.
III. Westminster
1) the royal part of London;
2) the Tower of London;
3) Westminster Abbey;
4) the Houses of Parliament.
IV. The West End
1) the symbol of wealth and luxury;
2) Trafalgar Square;
3) the national Gallery and British Museum.
V. East End
1) the industrial district;
2) true Londoners.
Speak on the topic