Vocabulary in categories

Exercise 7. Read the list of words below and put “a” if the objects belong to applied arts and “f” if they belong to fine arts.

1. furniture

2. sculpture

3. water-colour

4. armour

5. silverware

6. portrait

7. jewellery

8. dolls

Matching

Exercise 8. Match the adjectives in one column with the nouns in the other one the way it is done in the text.

revolving fabulous maritime living navigational hieroglyphic

display museum instruments globe treasure script

Careful reading

Read the dialogues and say what factors should be borne in mind if you are visiting London. To what extent did the author’s visit change his mind about the city?

Visiting London

1.

• Here we are in England. I’m very glad the trip is over.

• You don’t feel well, do you?

• I was a little air-sick. But I’m all right now.

• That’s well. By the way, how long are you going to stay in London?

• Only three days. I can’t have much time for my sightseeing. So I’d like to make a trip through the streets of London right now in order to get the general impression of the city.

• Let me accompany you. I know the city well. And the weather is so brilliant.

• Oh, that’s the first surprise of mine. We used to think that there are fogs or rains in London nearly every day of the year. But the weather is perfectly well today. A slight wind is blowing and the air is full of spring smells.

• We’ll see more of the city from the top of the bus. We shall begin from the West End and see the principal historical buildings and monuments such as Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and the National Gallery.

2.

• Now we are moving along Oxford Street. You can see numerous shops, banks and restaurants on both sides of the street. The pavements are crowded with people. In the roadway there is a constant stream of cars, taxis, buses and lorries. It’s dangerous to cross the road until the traffic is stopped.

• An unusual thing is that your drivers keep to the left.

• Oh, yes. It’s very important. We have left-hand traffic here and if you are driving along the street first look to the right, and when you reach the middle of the road, look to your left.

• Your buses differ greatly from our buses. They are all read and double-decked. Are there trolleybuses and trams in London?

• Yes. In some parts of London we have trolleybuses and trams as well.

• Don’t you find that it is very noisy in the streets?

• Oh, yes. The noise is deafening. It lasts till midnight. But the matter is that people get used to it very soon.

• Look at that building with many towers, please. Is that the Houses of Parliament? I recognize it from the pictures.

• You’re quite right. It’s the Houses of Parliament, the place where the Government sits. It’s very beautiful there. And can you recognize Westminster Abbey?

• Oh, here it is, on the left. I know, the greatest English poets are buried there. I’d like to come to this place again. And is this place Piccadilly Circus?

• No, this is Trafalgar Square. There’s a bus stop over there. We’ll get off and see the National Gallery.

• OK and then we’ll spend the rest of the day in some of the parks nearby.

3.

• We’re in Hyde Park, aren’t we?

• You’re quite right. It’s the famous Hyde Park.

• It’s splendid here! I’m delighted. Everything around is green and fresh. It’s a good place to have a rest. The ducks are swimming in the pools. Children are playing in playgrounds. People in light spring clothes are walking not only along the paths but also across the grass.

• Yes, people are allowed to do everything on the grass. You can sing, or dance, or cry, or preach and nobody will make you a remark.

• I’ve heard a lot about the Speaker’s Corner. It’s a big open place where a man can stand on a chair, or on a platform, or on the ground and speak everything he likes. You can listen to him, ask questions or you may pass him by without any reaction.

• We’re sure to see the place. It’s worth seeing it.

• By the way, are there many such parks in London?

• Quite a lot. Except Hyde Park which is one of the best there is Green Park, Kensington Gardens, St, James Park and others. People call them “lungs of London”.

• I’ve got sure it’s a wonderful place to spend time in. But it’s getting dark, and I dream of seeing the city at night.

• At night all the streets are lit by electricity, or in some districts by the brilliant shop windows and the illuminated signs and advertisements, so that after dark everything looks as bright as in broad daylight.

• I see. The picture is breathtaking when you first see it. I thought I knew London in a way but it turned out to be a new world for me today. So many impressions!

• That’s really more than enough for one day. I’m glad you liked it.

• Thank you ever so much. It was so kind of you to accompany me. Bye.