Whitehall is the street of Britain’s Ministries. It runs between Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square. Branching off Whitehall is a small unimpressive street that no one would give a second look if not for the fact that the Prime Minister has his official residence there at number 10 Downing Street.
Trafalgar Square is so named in commemoration of Nelson’s great victory at Trafalgar. In the middle stands the famous Nelson Column surmounted by the statue of Nelson 170 feet high so as to allow him a view of the sea. The column stands in the geographical centre of the city. It is one of the best open air platforms for public meetings and demonstrations.
The City which is the centre of Britain’s banks and monopolies, occupies only a small part of the Metropolis. Over a million people enter the City in the daytime on business. At night it is practically deserted. In keeping with tradition no reigning monarch may enter the City without the permission of the Lord Mayor, whose functions are mainly ceremonial nowadays.
Londoners usually either take the tube or the double-decker. At times it seems incredible that these huge double deckers should be able to maneuver through the narrow streets without running into one another or the pedestrians.
Only one quarter of the mileage of the Underground is actually underground. The rest is on the surface. To the stranger, and even to many Londoners, the tube network is most confusing. Even with a map it is difficult to navigate. Trains do not have any fixed schedule as they do in Moscow for instance. During rush hours big crowds gather.
London is a big cultural centre. There are many theatres, among them Covent Garden, Drury Lane, etc. But tickets are very expensive. Cinema seats are much cheaper. Although London is a city of monuments, history and tradition, its people are undoubtedly the most interesting feature.
Exercise 2. Find the English equivalents in the text.
Движение левостороннее; требуется время, чтобы привыкнуть; тронная речь в палате лордов; шествие, пришедшее из средних веков; место коронации и погребения британских монархов; всемирно известный «Уголок поэтов»; могила неизвестного солдата; маленькая невпечатляющая улица; официальная резиденция; в память о великой победе Нельсона; центр британских банков и монополий; днем; ночью; в соответствии с традицией; без разрешения Лорда Мэра; метро; двухэтажный автобус; протяженность метро в милях; трудно найти дорогу во время часов пик; самая интересная черта.
Exercise 3. What is it?
1. an inhabitant of Moscow
2. a place worth seeing
3. a person going sightseeing
4. public celebration in which there is a procession of people in costumes
5. a place where the British monarchs are crowned
6. a place where the British monarchs are buried
7. the chief city of a country, capital
8. inhabitants of London
9. a person walking along a street
10. a net of tube routes
11. a timetable for work
the tube network, schedule, a “must”, the crowning place, Metropolis, a sightseer, a Muscovite, Londoners, pageant, a pedestrian, the burial place
Exercise 4. Fill in the blanks with the prepositions where it is necessary.
1) You should remember that in London traffic keeps … the left.
2) Locking … … the Tower is the Ceremony that came … the Middle Ages.
3) London is famous … many places of interest.
4) Nelson Column is surmounted … the statue of Nelson 170 feet high.
5) Sometimes fogs in London are so awful that cars and buses run … one another or pedestrians.
6) London is a city … monuments, history and traditions.
Exercise 5. Transform into Passive Voice.
1. The Queen makes the Throne Speech in the House of Lords.
2. A squad of four escorts the Queen’s keys.
3. The warders lock up the Towers one after another.
4. People named Trafalgar Square in commemoration of Nelson’s great victory at Trafalgar.
5. The City occupies only a small part of the Metropolis.
6. Londoners usually take the tube or the double-decker.
Exercise 6. Complete the sentences according to the text.
1. There is a surprise for a traveller in London, it is the fact that …
2. There are many places of interest in London, such as …
3. Great Britain is a country of traditions, one of them is ….
4. Westminster Abbey has its world famed Poets’ Corner with memorials to …
5. 10 Downing street is ….
6. The underground in London is confusing, because …
Exercise 7. What new facts about London have you found in the text?
Exercise 8. Make up the detailed plan of the text.
Text 3
Exercise 1. Read the text and do the exercise.
MADAM TUSSAUD’S MUSEUM
Notes: Madam Tussaud’s Museum of Waxworks – музей восковых фигур Мадам Тюссо в Лондоне
Chamber of Horrors – комната ужасов
Jack the Ripper – Джек Потрошитель (прозвище печально известного убийцы, совершившего в 1888 году в Лондоне по меньшей мере семь убийств)
Among lots of London’s museums of different types and significance there is one of special interest. It is Madam Tussaud’s Museum of Waxworks, named after its founder – a French woman, Madam Marie Tussaud (1761-1850), who started the museum in 1835.
The museum contains hundreds of life-size wax figures of outstanding statesmen, scientists, sportsmen and sportswomen, world-famous film stars and musicians, poets and writers of Britain and the world over. Among them are the figures of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor with her seven husbands, Elvis Priestly, Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Chaplin and many others.
There are several halls in the museum where the figures of kings, queens, princes and princesses are placed. A special hall is dedicated to the Royal family. The figures of adults and children look quite natural. They are standing or sitting, looking at each other, smiling and “talking”. They have clothes and some things that are characteristic of them. Special attention is drawn by the eyes sparkling and looking at you so that sometimes you feel uncomfortable in their company.
The politicians and leaders of different countries are taken together. They are watching you without any emotions. They are a very strange company: Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, Nikita Khrushchov, Michael Gorbatchov and a lot of others.
The well-known scientists Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are also in the museum.
The Chamber of Horrors contains wax models of some famous criminals, murderers and thieves of past and present, among them is the figure of Jack the Ripper.
Exercise 2. Read the text and complete the sentences:
1. The museum contains life-size figures of outstanding …
2. Among them are ….
3. The figures of people …
4. In the Chamber of Horrors one can see …..
Text 4
Exercise 1. Read the text and do exercise 2.
ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
Note: Crypt – склеп, подземная часовня
Everybody coming to London for the first time wants to see St. Paul’s Cathedral. This is the third cathedral with this name which London has had. The two others were burnt down, the first in 1086 and the second in 1666.
Christopher Wren was an architect who had already built many buildings. Now, in 1675, he started on his greatest work. For 35 years the building of St. Paul’s Cathedral went on, and Wren was an old man before it was finished.
From far away you can see the huge dome with a golden ball and cross on the top. The inside of the cathedral is very beautiful. After looking around, you can climb 263 steps to the Whispering Gallery, above the library, which runs round the dome. It is called this because if someone whispers close to the wall on one side, a person with an ear close to the wall on the other side can hear what is said. Then, if you climb another 118 steps, you will be able to stand outside the dome and look over London.
But not only can you climb up, you can also go down underneath the cathedral, into the crypt. Here are buried many great men, including Christopher Wren himself, Nelson and others.
Exercise 2. Say if the following plan corresponds to the structure of the text. Change it if necessary.
1. Description of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
2. History of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
3. The architect of St. Paul’s Cathedral
Text 5
Exercise 1. Read the text and do exercise 2.
TOWER BRIDGE
Notes: Wharf (pl.wharves) – пристань, причал
Hinge – шарнир
The Pool of London – Пул (название участка р. Темзы ниже Лондонского моста, вверх по реке океанские суда не поднимаются)
Bascule – подъемное крыло или ферма моста
To ply – курсировать, совершать рейс (о корабле)
This bridge built in 1894, is still in daily use though the traffic in and out of the London wharves has increased to an extraordinary extent during the course of the 20th century.
Even today Tower Bridge regulates a large part of the impressive traffic of the Port of London. Due to a special mechanism, the main traffic-way consisting of two parts fixed to two hinges at the ends can be lifted up. In this way, the entrance and departure of extremely large vessels is possible, and allows them to reach the Pool of London.
While the central stay measures 142 feet, each bascule to be raised weighs 1,000 tons. Nowadays the pedestrian path is closed. This footpath crossing which used to be allowed was by the upper bridge which connected the top of each tower, situated at the height of 142 feet above the waters of the famous Thames.
Tower Bridge commands wide and magnificent views of both the city and the river. After Tower Bridge, the wharves of London extend until Tilbury. The gigantic port of this city, which has one of the heaviest movements of ocean-going traffic in the entire world, occupies practically the whole of the Thames from Teddington. It is virtually impossible to get a complete idea of its colossal extension. In fact it is one wharf after another, apparently continuing endlessly.
There is one way to form a closer idea of the grandiosity of this port: to view it from Tower Bridge on a clear day. To get the most accurate idea of its formidable extension and complexity, one can recommend taking one of the boats that during the summer months are organized to ply popular sightseeing trips along the Thames.
Exercise 2. Say into how many parts and what parts it can be divided.
Text 6
Exercise 1. Listen to the text “ Parks and Gardens of London ”. These words will help you understand the text better:
A lawn – лужайка, газон
A flower-bed – цветочная клумба
A fountain - фонтан
An avenue - аллея
Scents of flowers and plants – ароматы цветов и растений
Ancient oaks – древние дубы
Glittering water – сверкающая вода
An open-air theatre – зеленый театр (на открытом воздухе)
Graceful – грациозный, изящный
Outdoor entertainments – развлечения на открытом воздухе
To drift away – перемещаться
Exercise 2. Answer the questions:
1) Why do Londoners love their parks? Why are they proud of them?
2) What are the names of the parks mentioned in the text?
3) What each park is famous for?
4) Which park would you like to go to and why?
Text 7
Exercise 1. Read the text about the most famous sights of London and say which place you would like to visit and why. What do you know of this place?
SIGHTS OF LONDON