The Great Fire

The summer of 1666 was very hot and dry in London. On September, 2, a great fire broke out in the city. It began at night in a street not far from London Bridge. Now the Monument stands on the spot to remind people of the terrible fire.

Most of the houses in London were of wood. A hot east wind was blowing and the fire spread quickly. The fire burnt for four days and five nights, and nothing could stop it. There were no fire brigades at that time. The flame made night as day for ten miles¹ around London. The people left their burning houses and went to the fields across the Thames. They put up tents and lived there. But many lives were lost in the fire.

The Great Fire destroyed much of the city. Thirteen thousand houses and eighty-seven churches had been burned to the ground. Many people were left homeless. But the fire did great good. It burnt dirty narrow streets where the plague ruled a year ago. Buildings that were safer and cleaner replaced many slums. Wide streets and brick houses appeared in London after the Great Fire. Sir Christopher Wren, the famous architect, took part in rebuilding the city.

¹one mile = 1, 6 kilometers

Ex.5 Look through the text again and translate the following words and word-combinations:

Hot and dry summer, burning houses, to put up a tent, to be lost, to be burnt to the ground, homeless, safer and cleaner, brick houses, to rebuild the city.

Ex.6 Find in the text the English equivalents for the following:

Вспыхнул пожар; недалеко от; сейчас на этом месте стоит памятник, чтобы напоминать людям о...; огонь быстро распространился; сгорели дотла; многие остались без крова.

Ex.7 Correct the statements if necessary:

1. Now the Monument stands on the spot to remind people of the terrible hurricane. 2. Most of the houses in London were of brick. 3. The flame made night as day for ten miles around London. 4. Buildings that were safer and cleaner replaced many cottages.

Ex.8 Give questions to which the following sentences are the answers:

1. It began at night in a street not far from London Bridge. 2. A hot east wind was blowing and the fire spread quickly. 3. There were no fire brigades at that time. 4. They put up tents and lived there. But many lives were lost in the fire. 5. Buildings that were safer and cleaner replaced many slums.

Ex.9 Use the text to enlarge the given statements:

1. It began at night in a street … . 2. A hot east wind was blowing and the fire … . 3. The people left their burning houses and … . 4. Wide streets and brick houses …

Ex.10 Answer the following questions:

1. Why did the fire spread so quickly?

2. Where did the people go to get away from the fire?

3. How did London change after the fire?

Ex.11 Reorder the items of the plan according to the logic of the text. Describe item 4 of the plan in detail.

1. The fire burnt for four days and five nights, and nothing could stop it.

2. Wide streets and brick houses appeared in London after the Great Fire.

3. On September, 2, a great fire broke out in the city.

4. Thirteen thousand houses and eighty-seven churches had been burned to the ground.

5. Most of the houses in London were of wood.

Ex.12 Give a written summary of the text in 5-7 sentences.

Text 4

Ex.1 Translate and memorize the following words:

Branch, universe, calculus, trend, creation, cathedral, exception, violence, major, predominant, to be based on, to elect, to reflect, to increase.

Ex.2 Insert the words from exercise 1 in the gaps:

1. St.Paul’s … in London was built by Christopher Wren. 2. The physician … the dosage from one to four pills. 3. Robin Hood is absolutely a … of the ballad-muse. 4. Every rule has an … . 5. Italian opera became … at the end of the 17th century. 6. The sea … back the bright sunlight. 7. After only a year in the sports club, the youngest player was … to the committee. 8. One should always … one's opinion on facts. 9. There are three … of power: the legislative, the executive, and judicial. 10. This summer fashion has many … . 11. The criminal was arrested for the act of … . 12. Our … is extending. 13. Isaac Newton introduced a system of … and made … contributions to optics.

Ex.3 Translate the following sentences from English into Russian:

1. The best traditions of the 16th century were further developed in the 17th century. 2. In 1660 the Royal Society was founded in England to support scientific learning.3. English art and architecture reflected new trends. 4. For the first time in English literature prose became as important a part as poetry. 5. In the Restoration the theatres women appeared on the stage for the first time.

Ex.4 Read the text and give answers to the following questions:

1. Did Isaac Newton develop a series of general principles to explain how the universe works? 2. Is modern physics based on Isaac Newton’s theories? 3. Did classicism become predominant in the 17th century? 4. Was John Milton a brilliant poet (the greatest one after Shakespeare)?