Comprehension check

I. Find words with the opposite meaning in the text:

Drawback, minor, to stare, unknown, poor, dark.

II. Complete the sentences given below:

1. Before going to London I would make up my mind beforehand because...

1. The best way to see the City is...

2. Oxford Street is one of the busiest streets in London as...

3. Everything looks as bright as in broad day because... III. Give Russian equivalents to the following English expressions:

Subway to be flooded

a lorry shop-windows

deafening to stroll

standards the Royal Exchange

IV. You are in London now. Write a letter to your friend about your impressions.

London

Pre-reading activity

1. In your opinion, what are the most interesting cities in the world? Explain your choice.

2. What places of interest in London do you know?

London is one of the biggest and most interesting cities of the world. About eight million people live in London and its suburbs.

London is the city of contrasts. The West End is the richest part of the town with its cosy mansions, beautiful avenues, shops, restaurants and hotels. The East End is the district of workers. Quite an army of people live from hand to mouth here. Industry is concentrated in

this part of the city.

The heart of London is the City - its commercial and business centre. To most people the City of London means the Bank of England, the Royal Exchange, the Lord Mayor, St. Paul's Cathe­dral and the Tower of London.

The Tower of London comes first among the historic buildings of the city. It was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal resi­dence and a prison. Now it is a Museum of Armour and also the place where crown jewels are kept.

A twenty-minutes' walk from the Tower will take you to another historic building Saint Paul's Cathedral, the greatest of English churches. It was built by a famous English architect. Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723).

Westminster is the historic and the government part of Lon­don. You may start with Buckingham Palace which is the London residence of the Queen. Running in a straight line from Buckingham Palace to Admiralty Arch is the Mall – a three-lined roadway which has on its Northern side: Saint James s Palace and on the other side Saint James's Park.

To the East of Saint James's Park and at a mere three minutes’s walk are Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Westminster Abbey contains more historical association than any other building in Britain.

All English kings and queens since William the Conqueror were crowned here and most of them are buried here. The Abbey was founded by Edward the Confessor who died in 1066 and was buried in the Abbey. You may also see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - a memorial to the British soldiers who died in the First World War. There is also the famous Poet's corner where the greatest English writers areburied, such as Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Hardy, Kipling and the others. Besides there are memorials to Shakespeare and Milton, Goldsmith and Scott, Thackeray and Longfellow.

Across the road from Westminster Abbey are the Houses of Parliament officially known as Westminster Palace - the seat of the British Parliament. Its two graceful towers - the Victoria and the Clock Tower - stand high above the city. The Clock Tower contains the largest clock in the country and the Bell Big Ben that strikes every quarter of an hour.

If we walk along Whitehall which is not a hall but a street where the chief government offices are to be found, we shall soon come to Trafalgar Square. It was so named in memory of the vic­tory in the battle of Trafalgar, where on October 21, 1805 the Eng­lish fleet under Nelson's command defeated the combined fleet of France and Spain. In this battle admiral Nelson was mortally wounded and soon died. Now in the middle of Trafalgar Square which was laid out in 1824 stands Nelson's Column with the figure of Nelson at its top. The column is guarded by four bronze lions.

The fine building facing the square is the National Gallery and adjoining it is the Portrait Gallery.

Not far away in Bloomsbury is the British Museum. It is offi­cially described as being the National Library and Museum of History, Archaeology, Art and Ethnography. It contains thousands of priceless exhibits - ancient manuscripts, coins, sculpture, etc. The British Museum Library is one of the richest in the world.