Pre-reading activities

1. Browse the Internet or look up the dictionaries and make sure you know the following things and names.

The Times — is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register, adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ... The Times was founded by publisher John Walter (1738–1812) on 1 January 1785 as The Daily Universal Register, with Walter in the role of editor.

the Telegraph — is a conservative national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was founded by Arthur B. Sleigh in 1855 as The Daily Telegraph & Courier.

the Church of St Margaret’s Westminster — is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the Anglican parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London. It is dedicated to Margaret of Antioch.

Balliol College — (/ˈbeɪliəl/) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the foundation and endowment for the college. When de Balliol died in 1268.

the Daily Express — is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc.

William Hickey (columnist) — is the pseudonymous byline of a gossip column published in the Daily Express, a British newspaper. It was named after the 18th-century diarist William Hickey. The column was first established by Tom Driberg in May 1933. An existing gossip column was relaunched following the intervention of the Express's proprietor Lord Beaverbrook.

Cadogan Gardens — is a street in Chelsea, London, that is part of the Cadogan Estate.

Mr Churchill — Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was a British politician, military officer and writer who served as the prime minister of Great Britain from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955. After becoming prime minister in 1940, Churchill helped lead a successful Allied strategy with the U.S. and Soviet Union during World War II to defeat the Axis powers and craft postwar peace.

Eisenhower — Eisenhower was born into a large family of mostly Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry in Denison, Texas, and raised in Abilene, Kansas. His family had a strong religious background, and his mother became a Jehovah's Witness. Eisenhower, however, belonged to no organized church until 1952. He graduated from West Point in 1915 and later married Mamie Doud, with whom he had two sons. During World War I, he was denied a request to serve in Europe and instead commanded a unit that trained tank crews.

the Democrats and the Republicans — Democrats are members of the Democratic Party, while Republicans are members of the Republican Party. Democrats generally believe in a more liberal approach to government, while Republicans are more conservative. The Democratic Party is known for its progressive policies, which focus on social justice, economic equality, and environmental protection.

the stalemate in the Korean War — Although the United States immediately intervened when North Korea started to invade South Korea on June 25, 1950, North Korea and China only retaliated and started heavy assaults against the U.S. and South Korean armies. Eventually, the war only became a battle of attrition and although peace talks have started by July 1951, it ended in a stalemate, with neither side backing down.

Princess Elizabeth — (born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926) became Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 at the age of 25. Her father, King George VI suffered from lung cancer for much of his later life and died in his sleep on Feb. 6, 1952, at age 56. Upon his death, Princess Elizabeth, his oldest daughter, became Queen of England.

Country Life — (stylized in all caps) is a British weekly perfect-bound glossy magazine that is published by Future plc. It was based in London at 110 Southwark Street until March 2016, when moved to Farnborough, Hampshire. In 2022, the magazine moved back to London at 121 – 141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington.

the Mail — is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper founded in 1896, and news website published in London. As of 2020 it was the highest paid circulation newspaper in the UK. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982, a Scottish edition was launched in 1947, and an Irish edition in 2006.

the Mirror — daily newspaper published in London that frequently has the largest circulation in Britain. The Mirror was founded by Alfred Harmsworth, later Viscount Northcliffe, in 1903 as a newspaper for women. Its photo-rich tabloid format has consistently stressed sensational, human-interest.

the Strand — is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster, Central London. The street, which is part of London's West End theatreland, runs just over. 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) from Trafalgar Square eastwards to Temple Bar, where the road becomes Fleet Street in the City of London, and is part of the A4, a main road running west from inner London.