London - the capital of great britain

London is the capital of Great Britain. It is an ancient city. It is about two thousand years old.

Now London is one of the biggest cities in the world. Its population is about 8 million people. It is the home of the nation's commerce and fi­nance, a large business and commercial centre.

London is one of the most famous capital cities of the world, and every year it attracts many visitors from abroad. As an ancient city London has a great number of places of historic interest. They attract tourists from the whole world. They come to explore its historic buildings, to see its muse­ums and galleries, its parks and squares, and its people. All the historical places and famous parks are in the western part of London. London is tra­ditionally divided into four main parts. They are: Westminster, the City, the West End and the East End.

The West End, spreading from the political centre at Westminster, in­cludes the shopping area of Knightsbridge, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus and the fashionable Covent Garden; it hosts museums and galleries, among them are the Tate Gallery, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gal­lery and the British Museum. In the West End there are the Houses of Par­liament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace.

The best known streets are: Whitehall with important Government of­fices, Downing Street, the residence of the Prime Minister and Fleet Street which stands for the press. The name of «West End» is associated with wealth, luxury and goods of high quality. Regent Street is famous for the richest shops and supermarkets.

Piccadilly Circus and Piccadilly can’t be called quiet. On the contrary everything shines here with bright advertisements. Big hotels and shops, different clubs are situated here.

One of the oldest streets in London is the Strand. Now this street links the City and the West End.

Westminster is a historical area in London. There are many famous monuments and buildings there. One of them is Westminster Abbey. It's full of history. It is an old beautiful chapel. Many great Englishmen are buried here: Is. Newton, Ch. Darwin and others.

The south side of the Abbey is called the Poets’ Corner where famous British writers and poets are buried: Ch. Dickens. R. Kipling. Th. Hardy. Here, too, are the memorials to W. Shakespeare, R. Burns. G. Byron, W. Scott and W. Thackeray.

Another place, which is worth seeing in London, is the Tower. It is situ­ated on the north bank of the Thames, in different times this castle was a fortress, a royal palace, a prison. Now it is a museum of armour and also the place where Crown jewels are kept.

London is rich in famous palaces. Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen. Westminster Palace is the seat of the British Parlia­ment. There are two tall towers at the corners of the building. One of them is the Clock Tower with the famous Big Ben.

The greatest of English churches is St Paul's Cathedral. It was built by a famous English architect, sir Christopher Wren.

Trafalgar Square is considered to be the very centre of London. In the middle of it stands the monument to Admiral Nelson (an English admiral who won the battle of Trafalgar). It’s a tall column with a statue of Nelson at its top. At the bottom of the column there are 4 bronze lions.

The City extends over an area of about 2.6 sq. km in the heart of Lon­don. About half a million people work there, but less than 6000 live there. It is the financial centre of the United Kingdom with many banks, offices and the Stock Exchange.

London has a large seaport, which is situated in the East End. It is an area of docks, unattractive in appearance, but very important in the coun­try's commerce. There are a lot of factories, workshops there. The streets are narrow, the buildings are unimpressive. The East End is densely popu­lated by working class families.

London is full of parks and green space. Hyde Park is the largest park in London, which is famous for its Speaker's Corner.

In London all kinds of vehicles ride up and down the streets: double-decker buses, lorries, taxis, private cars. The oldest underground railway system called the «tube» is still one of the largest in the world. It carries 2 million passengers every day over its 244 miles of route with their 273 sta­tions.

Ex. 8. Find in the text the derivatives of the following words:

commerce, finance, west, to attract, tradition, to appear, to build, a shop, to reside, to impress, a fort, policy, to advertise, an office, dense, to change.

Ex. 9. Find the synonyms:

1. a monument 2. to consider 3. to be famous 4. to extend 5. underground 6. to stand for 7. to be associated with 8. chapel 9. to be worth seeing 10.unimpressive 11.two-storeyed

to be well-known to be linked with church a statue double-decker to think about smth. as to spread to mean unattractive tube having a certain value

Ex.10. Put in the appropriate word from the right column:

1) There is the home of nation's…&…, a large business & commercial centre. 2) The tourists come ... its historical buildings, to see its museums & galleries, its parks & squares, and its people. 3) The West End ... museums & galleries. 4) There are the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace in ... 5) Everything shines with bright... in Piccadilly Circus. 6) There are a lot of historical places, which are ... ... in London. 7) In the middle of Trafalgar Square stands a tall column with ... ... at its top. 8) The East End is ... ... by working class fami­lies. 9) The oldest underground railway system ... 2 million passengers every day.

the West End b) advertisement c) are worth seeing d) is densely popu­lated e) to explore f) a statue of Nelson g) carries h) commerce & fi­nance i) hosts

Ex.11. Comment the following figures:

Model: 8 million people

The population of London is 8 million people.

1. two thousand years old

2. four main parts

3. two tall towers

4. 4 bronze lions

5. 2.6 sq km

6. about half a million, 6000 people

7. 2 mln passengers

8. 244 miles, 273 stations

Ex. 12. Agree or disagree:

1.A great number of places of interest in London attracts tourists from Europe.

2.London is more than 2,000 years old and the historic streets of it were not built for buses or motor croaches so the best way to discover the city’s most fascinating sights is on foot.

3.All the historical places and famous parks are in the eastern part of London.

4.The fashionable Covent Garden hosts museums and galleries, except the National Portrait Gallery.

5.The best known streets are: Whitehall with important Government offices, Downing Street, the residence of the Prime minister and Regent Street which stands for the press.

6.Westminster Abbey, an old beautiful chapel, is full of history.

7.The Tower was a museum of armour and the place where Crown jewels were kept.

8.Tower Bridge commands wide and magnificent views of both the city and the river.

9. St.Paul’s Cathedral was built by a famous English architect , sir Christopher Wren.

10.The gradual growth of the city helps to explain the fact that London has just one centre.

11. It has a number of centres, each with a distinct character: the financial and business centre called the City (spelt with the capital C), the shopping and entertainment centre in the West End, the government centre in Westminster, the industrial centre in the East End.

12.Piccadilly Circus is considered to be the very centre of London.

13.Every day a large crowd of people gather to see the famous and traditional ceremony of the Changing of the Guard that takes place daily at 11 o’clock in the morning near Buckingham Palace.

14.The East End, an area of factories, mills, workshops and docks, is unattractive in appearance, but very important in the country’s commerce.

15.St. James’s Park is the largest park in London which is famous for its Speaker’s Corner.

16.The London underground is the main transport in the city and it is often called the tube, because it looks like a long, narrow and dimly lit tube, with its walls plastered with all kinds of advertisements.

17.We may say that the West End is the hands of London, those hands which built the banks of the City, the palaces, hostels, theatres, rich houses and department stores in the East End.

18.You mustn’t always remember the number of the postal district which is added to the name of the street. And it makes all the difference whether you say Cromwell Road, or Cromwell Street, or Cromwell Avenue.

Ex. 13. Make up the right sentences on association:

1. Covent Garden 2. Downing Street 3. Fleet Street 4. Regent Street 5. Westminster 6.The Tower 7. Buckingham Palace 8. Westminster Palace 9. Trafalgar Square 10.Hyde Park 11.The City

is associated with

a)the press b)many banks,offices and Stock Exchange c)Westmister Abbey, the Poets’ Corner d)the official residence of the Queen e)the Tate Gallery, the National Gallery, the British Museum f)the very centre of London, the monument to Admiral Nelson g) the Speaker’s Corner h)the residence of the Prime Minister i)the West End j)the seat of the British Parliament k)the richest shops and supermarkets

Ex. 14. Read the beginnings of the sentences and complete them according to the text.

1. London is the home of ………………………………………………………………….

2. The tourists come to explore …………………………………. ……………………….

3. The West End includes ………………………………………. ………………………..

4. It hosts museums and galleries ………………………………. ………………………..

5. The name of the West End is associated with …………………………………………..

6. Piccadilly Circus and Piccadilly shines with …………………. ……………………….

7. An old beautiful chapel Westminster Abbey is the place ……. ……………………….

8. In Westminster Abbey there are memorials to …………………….. …………………

9. In different times the Tower was ……………………………. ………………………..

10.Buckingham Palace ……………………………………………………………………

11.Westminster Palace, the seat of the British Parliament, has……………………………

12.St.Paul’s Cathedral, the greatest of English churches, was built ………………………

13.The monument to Admiral Nelson……………………………………………………..

14.The City is………………………………………………………………………………

15.A large seaport is situated in ………………………………………………………….

16.The East End is an area of …………………………………………………………….

17.Hyde Park is famous for……………………………………………………………….

18.The oldest underground railway system ………………………………………………

Ex.15. Prove the statements given below:

1. The gradual growth of the city helps explain the fact that London doesn’t have just one centre, it has a number of centres, each with a distinct character.

2. The City is the financial centre of the United Kingdom.

3. The East End is the industrial centre.

4. British people honour the memory of famous countrymen.

5. London has a great number of places of interest.

6. All the historical places and famous parks are in the western part of London.

7. Each park has its own character.

8. London’s underground railway system is still one of the largest in the world.

Ex.16. Look through the statements in Ex.15 again and write them in your exercise-books as general questions.

Ex. 17. Answer the following questions:

1) Where is London situated?

2) What river flows through London?

3) What parts does London consist of?

4) The population of London is about 8 million people, isn't it?

5) What is Fleet Street famous for?

6) Who lives at 10 Downing Street?

7) Where does the Queen live when she is in London?

8) What places of interest are there in London?

9) Is Westminster Abbey situated near the Houses of Parliament?

10) What Houses does the British Parliament consist of?

11) What is Hyde Park famous for?

12) Where were all the kings & queens of England crowned?

13) What name is given to the clock of the Houses of Parliament?

14) How is the London underground called?

Ex. 18. Put the words in the right order to make up sentences:

1. Into, the Thames, parts, Northern, two, which, and, divides, Southern, the city.

2. One, London’s, streets, of, Regent Street, most, shopping, is, fashionable.

3.Victories, to Napoleon, there is, for, against, a monument, his, Admiral Nelson, in Trafalgar Square, the war, in.

4. The clock, which, Britain, the famous, time, from, in, Big Ben, people, take, is, all.

5.Is, with, centre, London, Soho, night clubs, of, the entertainment, restaurants, music-halls.

6. Took, the well-known, architect, carry out, Christopher Wren, to plan, this, it, plan, building, of, 35 years, and, English, cathedral, his.

7. the goods, of, is, London, London, the East End, the hands, of, the West End, and, is.

8. Of, collection, and, the British Museum, in, the library, the world, one, books, of, manuscripts, is, the largest, of.

9. Range, which, on, 1824, the National Gallery, opened, a wonderful, were, the 10^th, offers, of, public, of, May, to, pictures.

10.Periods, British, painting, all, of, the Tate Gallery, the national, collection, of, is.

Ex. 19. Find the right variant:

1) Big Ben is ... in London.

a) a square

b) a monument

c) a tower

d) a clock

2)The British Museum is famous for its:

a) modem paintings

b) library

c) collection of manuscripts

d) reading room

3) The Tower of London is now used as ...

a) a museum

b) a palace

c) a prison

4)Trafalgar Square is considered to be...

a) a historical area

b) the very centre of London

c) famous for the richest shops & supermarkets

d) a symbol of Britain's press

Ex.20. Read, translate, learn by heart & reproduce.

1. -Is this Downing Street?

-No, it isn't. Turn right, please.

-Thank you. I want to look at the residence of Prime Minister.

-It is round the corner - to Downing Street.

-Thanks a lot.

-Don't mention it.

2. -It the Thames deep?

-Yes, it is. The Thames is short & deep.

-Is it navigable all year round?

-That's right. The Thames is navigable all year round.

3. -What is Big Ben?

-It's a big clock at the Houses of Parliament

-It is far from the centre of London?

-It's in the very centre of it.

-Have you been there?

-Yes, a lot of times.

Ex. 21. Translate, reproduce & learn by heart:

1. -Лондон - столица Великобританії. Чи це так?

-Yes, it is. It is a big industrial centre.

-Яке населення в Лондоні?

-More than 9,000,000 people live in London.

-Чи багато в Лондоні визначних пам'яток?

-Quite a lot. London is an old city. There are many sights there: the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower & other main sights.

-Коли була збудована the Tower?

-I don't know exactly but it is as old as London.

2. -Як називасться метро в Лондоні?

-It is tube. In New York they call it subway.

-Чи небезпечно їздити у метро в Лондоні?

-Yes, it is. It is much more dangerous than in Kiev.

-Які інші види транспорту є в Лондоні?

-They are buses & taxis. Buses are called double-deckers (two-storeyed buses).

3. -Що вважають центром Лондону?

-It is Trafalgar Square.

-Я ще не був там. А що там є цікаве?

-Ifs famous for the monument to Admiral Nelson who won the battle of Trafalgar, it's a tall column with a statue of Nelson at its top.

-Тоді це теж icторичне місце Лондону.

-Авжеж.

Ex. 22. Translate from Ukrainian into English:

1. Історичні та географічні обставини (circumstances) зробили Лондон одним з найбільш важливих світових комерційних та культурних центрів.

2. Це столиця, де повага до всіх ідей перетворилася (transformed) у справжній ритуал.

3. Поступовий (gradual) ріст міста допомагає пояснити той факт, що Лондон має не один центр, а декілька центрів, кожний зі своїм чітко визначеним (distinct) характером.

4. Лондон – місто великих різноманітностей (variety), від вузьких середньовічних вулиць, таких як Сіті, до просторих (spacious) неокласичних площ Белгревії.

5. Сер Кристофер Рен (перебудівник собору Святого Павла після Великої Пожежі 1666р.) та Джон Неш, який на початку 19 століття поклав початок (laid out) великій частині Лондона, вплинули найбільше на архітектуру міста.

6. Британський музей на Рассел Стріт складається з Національного музею археології та етнографії, найбільшої колекції друку та малюнків та Національної бібліотеки.

7. У Національному історичному музеї на Кромвель Роуд знаходиться багата колекція тварин, рослин та мінералів, з яких складається земля (build up).

8. Великий Лондон (The Greater London) – це великий промисловий центр країни, де машино – будівна промисловість високо розвинена (on a large scale).

9. Електротехнічна, радіотехнічна, хімічна та поліграфічна промисловості дають роботу (employ) найбільш кваліфікованим робітникам та інженерам.

10.Там знаходяться також Королівські Академії мистецтва, музики, драми, численні наукові інститути та товариства всіх галузей науки, техніки та гуманітарних наук (humanities).

11.Іст-Енд ріс з розгортанням (the spread) промисловості на схід від Сіті, з ростом порту Лондона.

12.Іст-Енд є також одним з районів Лондона, куди прииїздять люди з-за кордону, щоб знайти роботу.

13.Скотленд Ярд розташований на набережній (Embankment) Темзи неподалік від Парламенту та всесвітньо відомої башти Біг Бен.

14.Британці зберігають (cherish) пам’ять про видатних письменників та вчених (men of letters) протягом декількох століть. У Вестмінстерському Абатстві у Кутку поета є пам’ятники Шекспіру, Бернсу, Байрону, Уолтеру Скотту, Текерею.

15. Парламент являє собою (constutute) найбільш популярний та відомий образ Лондона, який одразу пізнається (recognized) у всьому світі.

16. З часів Річарда Віттінгтона, який був першим мером Лондона у 1937 р., вибори нового лорда мера Лондона відзначаються пишним видовищем (a pagent), відомим як Шоу Лорда Мера.

17.Однією з найбільш успішних систем (developments) викриття злочину (crime detection) та аварійної служби Скотленд Ярду стала “система 999”.

Ex. 23. You are going to visit London. Ask your friend who has just come back from London about the places of interest of London, paying attention to such points as:

1) the best place to begin sightseeing;

1. architectural monuments;

2. famous museums and art galleries;

3. theatres and concert halls;

4. the most beautiful parks.

Ex.24. Make up a plan of the text.

Ex. 25. Retell the text according to your plan.

Section B.

Ex. 1. Look through the text. try to remember the events and their dates:

FROM THE HISTORY OF LONDON

London was an important city in Roman times, and there are substantial Roman remains, mostly below street level. By the Middle Ages, when London became the political and commercial capital of England, it was one of the most important cities in Europe.

The history of London begins about the year AD¹ 43, when the Romans were in possession of the southern part of Britain and founded a military station on the present site of London. An insurrection² of the British led by Boadicea caused it to be burned in AD 61. It was the centre of various disturbances³ until about 306, when Constantine constructed walls and fortifications, and thereby established stability and laid a firm basis for commercial prosperity⁴. From 369 until 412 it was the capital of Britain, when it was known as Augusta. Subsequently it became the chief seat of the Saxons. King Alfred expelled the Danes and fortified the city. It became famous as a commercial centre at the beginning of the reign of Edward Ш.

London was not built as a city in the same way as Paris or New York. It began life as a Roman fortification at a place where it was possible to cross the River Thames. A wall was built around the town for defence, but during the long period of peace, which followed the Norman Conquest, people built outside the walls. This building continued over the years, especially to the west of the City. In 1665 there was a terri­ble plague⁵ in London, so many people left the city and escaped to the villages in the surrounding countryside. About 69,000 persons succumbed⁶ to the dread disease. In 1666 the Great Fire of London ended the plague, but it also destroyed much of the city. A destructive fire spread over 340 acres, burning about 15,000 houses.

From these calamities⁷ the city recovered with marked rapidity⁸. The Bank of Eng­land was established in 1694. Sir Hans Sloane founded the British Museum in 1759, the old walls were torn down in 1760, and about that time the streets were improved by pavements, lighting and sanitary regulations. In 1840 the present parliamentary buildings were commenced⁹, and in rapid succession followed the construction of great parks and many different municipal improvements. Although people returned to live in the rebuilt city after the plague and the Great Fire, there were never again so many Londoners living in the city centre.

In the course of history the original commercial nucleus of the City of London (only a mile square – 2.6 sq. km) was adjoined by the City of Westminster, where the political centre established by the monarchy was supplemented by the admini­strative offices of Parliament and Whitehall (originally a royal palace). Gradually London expanded, absorbing¹⁰ outlying villages, such as Kensington and Hampstead, until by the end of the 19th century (during which the industrial revolution had made London the largest and most important city in the world) much of the central area of London had been developed in a way which is still recognizable today. During the twentieth century growth has continued into the outer suburbs, into the surrounding areas known as the “home counties” (Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex) and into the 12 new towns (out of a total of 32 in Britain as a whole) which were created after 1945 within a radius of 129 km (80 miles) of London to help to relieve the pressure of population and the capital’s housing problem. To re­strict the sprawl of built-up areas, London pioneered the concept of a “green belt” around the city, where the land is left open and free from further large-scale building development. These days not many people live in the city centre, but London has spread¹¹ farther outwards into the country, including surrounding villages. Today the metropolis¹² of Greater London¹³ covers some 700 square miles and the suburbs of London continue even beyond this area. Some people even commute¹⁴ over 100 miles (over 150 km) every day to work in London, while living far away from the city in the country or in other towns

¹ AD от лат. Anno Domini – нашої ери

² insurrection – заколот, бунт

³ disturbances – pl заворушення, безпорядки

⁴ prosperity ­­- розквіт

⁵ plague – чума

⁶ succumb – стати жертвою, вмерти

⁷ calamity – лихо, біда, нещастя

⁸ rapidity – швидкість, пруткість

⁹ commence – починатися

¹⁰ absorb – збирати, поглинати

¹¹ spread – простягатися, простягтися, продовжуватися

¹² metropolis – центр ділового або культурного життя, столиця, центр

¹³ Greater London – Великий Лондон (адміністративно-територіальна одиниця. Ділиться на 32 райони та Сіті; керується радою Лондона)

¹⁴ commute – здійснювати регулярні поїздки на роботу в город з передмістя.

Ex.2. Match the years with the events.

1. An insurrection of the British led by Boadicea caused London to be burned 2. The history of London begins 3. It was the capital of Britain 4. It was the centre of various disturbances until 5. There was a terrible plague in London 6. The Great Fire of London ended the plague, but it also destroyed much of the city 7. Sir Hans Sloane founded the British Mu­seum 8. The 12 new towns were created within a radius of l29 km of London to help to re­lieve the pressure of population and the capital's housing problem. Growth of London has continued into the outer suburbs 9. Not many people live in the city centre, but London has spread further outwards into the country 10. The Bank of England was established 11. Gradually London expanded, absorbing outlying villages, such as Kensington and Hampstead 12. The present Parliamentary buildings were commenced

a) about 306 b)from 369 until 412 c) about the year AD 41 d) in 1665 e) in AD 61 f) in 1694 g) in 1840 h) in 1666 i) in l759 j) until the end of the 19th century k) during the twen­tieth century 1) these days

Ex.3. Look through the additional text about London sightseeing and try to memotize the main facts:

Shakespeare's Globe

The Most Astonishing Site in London

The Globe Theatre rises again! Many of the greatest plays in the English language were first performed at the original Globe, built in Southwark in 1599. In 1613 the theatre was destroyed by fire when a spark from a stage cannon used in a performance of “Henry VIII” set fire to¹ the shed roof. Now master craftsmen are working with green oak, brick, lime, goat’s hair and water reeds to create this Tudor theatre once again. The Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition tells the story of William Shakespeare’s workplace (the Elizabethan Bankside, London’s first entertainment district) and of the extensive research which has gone into the design and authentic reconstruction of this “Wooden O”. A team of scholars, archaeologists and architects put together the clues which revealed what the Globe was really like.² The craftsmen trained in Elizabethan building techniques use traditional materials from all over the country. York flag-stones are to be laid on the piazza³; even the bricks are being moulded to the same size as they were in Elizabethan days.

Imagine the Globe as it would have been, the centre of what was once London's notorious entertainment district, surrounded by raucous taverns and bawdy-houses; then imagine the galleries and yard filled with three thousand people eager to see a play!

The Globe Theatre is being rebuilt as the centrepiece of the International Shakespeare Globe Centre, as educational, entertainment and cultural complex inspired by the determination and vision of the late actor and director Sam Wanamaker CBE^4.

When completed, the Globe will be a living, working theatre, where plays will be performed in the daylight to audiences standing in the yard or seated on benches -just as they were four centuries ago.

¹ set fire to -…підпалила

² what the Globe was really like - яким Глобус був насправді

³piazza - площа

⁴ CBE - Commander of (the Order of) the British Empire - Кавалер ордену Британської імпepiї 2-го ступеня

Ex.4. Put the ends of the sentences in the right place:

1. Many of the greatest plays in the English language 2. The theatre was built 3. In 1613 the theatre 4. The extensive research 5. The craftsmen use traditional materials 6. Bricks are of the same size 7. The International Shakespeare Globe Centre was inspired

a) was destroyed by the fire during the performance of “Henry VIII”. b) from all over the country. c) as they were in Elizabethan days. d) in 1599. e) has gone into the design and authentic reconstruction of the "Wooden O". f) by the determination and vision of the late actor and director Sam Wanamaker. g) were first performed at the original Globe.

UNIT 3