2.7 Taking a Taxi

London taxis carry meters indicating the fare to be paid. Drivers must charge the metered fare for the all journeys, within the London police districts, regardless of duration and distance, and including journeys to and from London airport Heathrow. Taxi drivers expect to be tipped for all journeys.

2.8 Dramatize the dialogues

A.: West London Air Terminal, please. I have to be there by 11¹⁰.

B.: I can’t promise, but I’ll do my best. You’re just in time 70 p., please.

A.: Thanks a lot. Here’s 80 p. You can keep the change.

2.9A : Do you think you can get me to Victoria by half past?

B.: We should be OK if the lights are with us. You’ve still got five minutes to spare. 70 p., please.

A.: Thanks very much indeed. Here’s a pound, give me 20 p., please.

2.10 A: Picadilly, please. I have an appointment at 10³⁰.

B.: I think we can make it if we get a move on. Here we are, sir. 80 p. Please.

A.: Many thanks. Let’s call it a pound.

2.11 A.: Paddington, please. I want to catch the 11¹⁵.

B.: We’ll be all right if there are no hold ups. This is it, sir. 70 p., please.

A.: Thank you. Here’s fare, and this is for you.

2.12 Give your opinion on each of the following questions

1. Which do you think the quickest way of travelling a short distance in any really big town you know?

2. Have you trams in your city? What are their disadvantages?

3. Supposing you’re visiting London or some other very big city. What would you consider the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by private car, bus, tram, underground or on foot?

3 Text II Washington

3.1 Read and translate the text. Retell the text. Ask questions on underlined words

When the thirteen colonies became states and decided to join in a Union, there was much discussion about the capital. The decision finally arrived at was to carve out a hundred square miles from states of Maryland and Virginia, call it Federal territory and built a model capital on that site. It was only reasonable that the capital should bear the name of the General who had done so much to effect American Independence, and became its first President – Washington.

The hundred square miles are known as the District of Columbia. This area is not a state and is not in fact a municipality, but Federal Land.

To center of the City is the Capitol Building. Four geographical section radiate out from the Capitol Building dividing the District of Columbia into North-East, North-West, South-East, South-West. From the Capitol to the White house runs broad Pennsylvania Avenue. It is used for all those processions and parades that make Washington so familiar.

All the diagonal avenues are named after states of the Union, and the longest and the straightest of them all is Massachusetts Avenues, which virtually cuts the city in half.

Fortunately, for sightseers, all the main buildings that make Washington so interesting are to be found in groups. The Capitol Hill group is perhaps the most important, since it contains the seats of Government. The Capitol is the highest building in Washington, an American city without skyscrapers.

3.2 Перед Вами центр Вашингтона (см. Приложение). Найдите на карте достопримечательности, упоминаемые в тексте

3.3 Опишите на английском языке центр Вашингтона, ориентируясь по карте

4 Text III Cambridge

4.1 Read the text. Answer the questions after the text

Where is Cambridge?

Cambridge is in the east of England. It is fifty miles (80 km) north London and it is forty miles (64 km) from the nearest sea. Cambridge is in the region of East Anglia.

Cambridge: the river.

The river Cam runs through Cambridge. The name Cambridge is – bridge over the Cam. The Romans came here in the first century A.D. and built the first bridge. Now there are a lot of bridges over the river. One is the Bridge of Sights. It goes across the river to St. John’s College. St. John’s College is a part of Cambridge University. The river also runs behind King’s College and under King’s Bridge. Students of the university can study here because it is often very quiet. But in summer the river is sometimes very busy. People take rowing boats and punts on the water. You can hire the boats and punts. It is quite cheap. The river runs behind the back of some college of the University. This part of Cambridge is «The Backs». There is a bridge at the back Queens’ College. It is the «Mathematical» Bridge ( or Queens’ Bridge). Clare Bridge is at the back of Clare College. Many people say “It is a beautiful bridge. The best in Cambridge”.

Cambridge: old and new

In 1806 there were only about four hundred houses in Cambridge. But it grew quickly. In the 1300 it was a busy market town. In the years 1250-1550 the University grew quickly too. Students and teachers came from Oxford and started their own university in Cambridge. The first university college was Peter house College. The Bishop of Ely founded it. He bought two houses and gave money to students. The college opened in 1284. In the old college there was also a chapel, (a small church). People in the college built the chapel again in the 1660. Many colleges in Cambridge have Chapels in them. The first students often had lessons in the Chapel.

King’s College opened in 1441. King Henry I (1422-1461) gave money to the college. The chapel was the first building. The ceiling of King’s College Chapel is very beautiful. You can see there Rubens’s famous painting «The Adoration of the Magi».

Cambridge is a center for science and new technology. Scientist at the Ca-vendish Laboratory do research in physics. Cambridge is also a center for modern computers. Sinclair Research make small and large computers and sell them to other countries.

There is a famous hospital just outside Cambridge. Its name is Papworth Hospital and it is in the village at Papworth Everard. It is a heart hospital. A lot of people – young and old – have got new hearts at this hospital.

Old often meets new in Cambridge. Not all the University buildings are old. Now Hall has a very modern dining room. New Hall opened in the 1960^s. It was a college for women only but now men can study there, too. Men and women can study together in many colleges in Cambridge. We began with Peter-house College – the oldest one. The newest college is Robinson College. It opened in 1977. Today 102,000 people live in Cambridge.

University: students & teachers

There are about 9,500 “undergraduate” students at the university. Under-graduate students read (study) for a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) degree. Postgraduate students already have a degree and are doing research. They read for higher degrees. Some postgraduates will get a Ph. D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degree. A lot of students live and eat in the colleges. In the dining rooms students often have formal dinners. They must also wear gowns in the dining room. The University dons (teachers) often live in the college too. They give tutorials to the students. Tutorials are lessons for only one or two students. Students also go to big lectures in other part of the University. They also have to go to libraries and bookshops, so they must often go across the city. For many students it is a long way and they ride on their bicycles. This is quick and cheap, and Cambridge isn’t hilly. But it often rains.

University Buildings

In 1300 there was only one college in Cambridge – Peterhouse. Today the University has thirty-five colleges.

The English poet John Milton (1608-1674) was a student at Christ’s College.

Magdalene [mo:dlin] College opened in 1542. The famous English writer Samuel Pepys [pi:ps] gave his books and bookcases to the college. You can now visit the Pepys library in the college. You can see his diary there, too. Pepys wrote in his diary every day from 1660 to 1669. It tells you about the history of England during the Great Fire of London and the Great Plague (1665-1667).

Prince Charles was a student at Trinity. He studied history and archeology (1967-1970). His brother, Prince Edward, also studied at Cambridge University.

Famous Cambridge People

Some famous people have lived and worked in Cambridge. Scientists, writers and politicians have studied there. Here are the names of some people with the names of their colleges. Are they a scientist, a politician or a writer?

1. W. Wordsworth St. John’s College

2. Ch. Darwin Christ’s College

3. John Milton Christ’s College

4. Sir Isaac Newton Trinity College

5. Samuel Pepys Magdalene College

6. Lord Rutherford Trinity College

7. Oliver Cromwell Sidney Sussex College

Quiz

Here are some questions about Cambridge. Can you answer them? Good luck!

1. Which is the oldest college in Cambridge?

2. Cambridge is a) 20 miles b) 40 miles c) 50 miles from London? How many km is that?

3. What is another name for university teachers?

4. Where in Cambridge was Prince Charles a student?

5. How many undergraduate students are there in Cambridge?

6. Where is a) the Bridge of Signs b) the Mathematical Bridge?

7. Which hospital in Cambridge is famous because it gives people new hearts?

8. What is the name of the newest college in Cambridge?

9. Samuel Pepys is famous for his a) poems b) diary c) letters d) architecture?

10. How do students dress for “formal” dinners?

11. Where in Cambridge can you see Rubens’ famous painting “The Ado-ration of the Magi”?

12. What is the name of the river in Cambridge?