VI. Write a letter to your American friend asking him about students’ customs and lifestyle. Unit 6

I. Complete the gaps in the following article with words from the box.

Welcome to wales

Wales' capital, Cardiff, is probably one of Britain's best-kept secrets. In the heart of the city stands the 1,900 year-old 1 , sumptuously renovated in the 19th cen­tury. Here too are Victorian arcades lined with tiny shops, a lively covered market and a wealth of pubs, restaurants and the­atres, as well as the National Museum of Wales, a huge museum which covers the history of the country. To the south of the centre, the redeveloped docklands area includes attractions such as a marina and the award-winning hands-on Technique museum.

The Welsh people have a strong affinity with their land and a strong 2 in their culture, and stories of saints and wizards and fearsome dragons abound. The Welsh gift for singing in harmony is praised worldwide and male voice 3 can be found throughout the country. The best places to hear their song are at festivals of music, but you may find you can slip quietly into a choir practice. Pubs too often have impromptu sing-songs.

Outside the main towns of the south, Wales is a 4 country, sheep and dairy farming providing the main sources of income. Much of Wales' countryside is protect­ed from development in three National Parks - a hеaven for those who enjoy fresh air and open spaces. In the north is the Snowdonia National Park, scenically one of the glories of Britain with its high mountain passes, plummeting valleys and ice blue lakes carved out by the ravages of the Ice Age. This is magnificent country for walking and 5 , and mountain villages such as Beddgelert or Bews-y-Coed make ideal bases. Further south are windswept crests of the Brecon Beacons National Park, with its waterfalls, caves and forests whilst of Wales' south west tip is the Pembrokeshire National Park - a coastline of breezy headlands, sandy bays and flower-carpeted cliffs. Old-world fishing towns like Tenby and Saundersfoot are ideal bases from which to walk the coastal footpaths or take a boat to the offshore islands - breeding grounds for seabirds and grey seals.

A good way to see the 6 is to take a trip on one of the nostalgic narrow-gauge steam railways which criss-cross the countryside. Many of these “Great Little Trains” were originally used to transport minerals and a number of disused mines have now been made into tourist attractions providing a fascinating insight into life underground. Also worth a visit is the Centre for Alternative Technology at Pantperthog near Machynlleth which demonstrates ways in which man can live in 7 with the environment.

Many farmhouses offer bed and breakfast 8 where you can be assured of good country cooking and a warm welcome. Many offer the chance to get involved in farm activities like milking the cows, cheesemaking or horseriding, great if you're traveling with children. If you prefer to be independent, some farms have converted their outbuildings into 9 properties, many quite luxurious, an ideal solution if you are traveling as a large group. Wales also boasts some wonderfully-secluded country house hotels, snuggled in valleys or overlooking the beautiful coastline.

choirs d) scenery g) accommodation climbing e) self-catering h) sparsely-populated harmony f) castle i) pride