London.

London is one of the world’s three largest cities (the other two are New York and Tokyo). It is one of the world’s most important ports and it is the capital of Great Britain.

The Romans founded a settlement on the river Thames 2000 years ago. They called it Londinium. London became a prosperous trading center during the Middle Ages. Since that time it has continued to grow in size and prosperity. There are more than 10 thousand streets in London. About 7 million people live there.

There are four main parts in London: The City, Westminster, the West End and the East End.

The very center of London is Trafalgar Square. There is Nelson’s Column with the statue of Admiral Nelson on the top (185 feet high). In the north of Trafalgar Square there is the National Gallery. It exhibits all schools of European painting from the 13^th to the 19^th century and includes works by van Dyck, Rubens, Goya, Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt.

Not far from Trafalgar Square there is a little street with very ordinary houses. This is Downing Street, and for the last 200 years at house №10 the Prime Minister of England has resided.

Downing Street leads to Whitehall. In Whitehall there was a place where from the 12^th to the 16^th century the England kings and queens were living. Now it is just a street of government offices.

A little further we can see Parliament Square. Westminster Abbey is on one side, the House of Parliament on the other. The building of House of Parliament is not old, it dates only back to the 19^th century and is in Gothic style.

One of the most beautiful and distinguished of all English buildings is Westminster Abbey, founded in 11^th century.

There are many tombstones, monuments and statues here. For nearly 1000 years all the kings and queens of England – 41 in all – have been crowned here and many of them are buried here too. Here is the Poet’s Corner where many of Britain’s greatest poets and writers are buried: Chaucer, Johnson, Dickens, Hardy and Kipling. You can see memorials to Shakespeare, Burns, Byron, Walter Scott and Thackeray.

Next, we can walk along one side of St. James Park to Buckingham Palace – the Royal residence. The vast house is comparatively new and it has no style. However, great importance is still attached by the British to this place. Here you can see one of the most colourful and stirring of all London ceremonies, the changing of the Guards. The ceremony starts at 11. 30 a. m. and takes between 30 and 40 minutes.

All the principal streets of London lead to the heart of the City, the financial and business center of Great Britain.

In London there is so much to see that even Londoners can always find new

sights. They like to say: “When a man has tired of London, he is tired of life.”

19. Find these words in the text:

Порт, столица, римляне, основывать, поселение, процветающий, торговый центр, Средние века, расти, размер, процветание, улица, площадь, верх, выставлять (экспонировать), живопись, век, включать (в себя), обычный, проживать, король, королева, здание, выдающийся, надгробие, короновать, хоронить, королевская резиденция, прикреплять(привлекать), красочный и волнующий, смена караула, сердце, достопримечательности, уставать.

20. Answer the questions:

1. What is the capital of Great Britain?

2. What is London?

3. Where did the Romans found a new settlement 2000 years ago?

4. What was London during the Middle Ages?

5. What are the main parts of London?

6. What is the very center of London?

7. What does the National Gallery exhibit?

8. What Downing Street is famous for?

9. What is Whitehall?

10. What is situated on the both sides of the Parliament Square?

11. What do you know about Westminster Abbey?

12. What is the Buckingham Palace?

13. Where do all principal streets of London lead?

14. What do Londoners like to say about London?

21. Complete the sentences:

London is	people live there.
The Romans founded a settlement	Trafalgar Square.
There are more than 10 thousand	was founded in 11th century.
About 7 million	on the river Thames 2000 years ago.
There are four main parts in London :	the 12th to the 16th century the England kings and queens were living.
The very center of London is	in Gothic style.
For the last 200 years in Downing Street at house №10	When a man has tired of London, he is tired of life.
Whitehall was a place where	streets in London.
The building of House of Parliament is	the financial and business center of Great Britain.
Westminster Abbey	the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End.
All the principal streets of London lead to the heart of the City	the capital of Great Britain.
Londoners like to say:	the Prime Minister of England has resided.