13. A/ Work in pairs. Student a interviews b to write an essay on Piccadilly. Using the appropriate prompts given below, student b gives answers to a’s questions.

b/ Student B interviews A to write an essay on Westminster Abbey. Using the appropriate prompts given below, student A gives answers to B’s questions.

aisle	grave	precedent
amusement	haunt	properly
archer with his bow	herald	relics and mementos
choir	historic landmarks	seize
cloister	illuminated signs	shoeblack
consecrate	intersection	tailor
curve	jurisdiction	throes
French cannon	pageant	tribute
frequent	poise	vault

c/ Write an essay on Piccadilly / Westminster Abbey (100 – 130 words).

COVENT GARDEN

1. Read the information below about Covent Garden; make sure you study the language of the texts to be competent in further exercises and discussions.

Covent Garden, a fascinating short walk away, was once pastureland belonging to the Abbey at Westminster. In the 17^th century the Fourth Earl of Bedford summoned Inigo Jones and the continental style Piazza was born, complete with St.Paul’s Church and then a market which Hogarth portrayed in engravings. The area went downhill – Turkish baths and brothels thrived until, in the 19^th century, Charles Fowler designed a smart new market. Fashionable Londoners now mingled with farmers, costermongers, and flower girls who inspired Pygmalion, which became the musical “My Fair Lady”.

Times change: the Flower Market is now London Transport Museum and the main buildings have been transformed into shops and restaurants in the years since the fresh produce moved to more spacious accomodation in Nine Elms, just South West of Vauxhall Bridge.

Covent Garden Opera House, home of the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet companies is actually the third theatre on the site, designed by E.M.Barry in 1858 and enlarged in the past decade. In early years moments of unintentional drama ranged from riots in 1763 when entry at half price after the third act was refused and in 1833 when the famous actor Edmunt Kean had a stroke during a performance of Othello. The present Opera House is noted for its lavish productions with the world’s finest performers.

2. Explain the meanings of the following words and word combinations in English and use them to speak about Covent Garden. Find the appropriate synonyms for the words:

1. pastureland	4. continental style	7. to summon	10. to go downhill
2. to portray in engravings	5. lavish productions	8. spacious accomodation	11. unintentional drama
3. brothels thrived	6. costermongers	9. to mingle with	12. fascinating

3. Make use of the words and word-combinations given above to write down 10 sentences of your own.

4. Write 8-10 questions about the text in pairs. Exchange your questions with another pair. Answer the questions without looking at the article again.

SOHO

1. Read the text about Soho; make sure you study the language of the text to be competent in further exercises and discussions.

Soho, the home of strip-tease, the cinema industry and international haute cuisine, is on the edge of theatreland, rich in history and rich in cultural mix. The name Soho probably came from an ancient hunting cry – So-Ho – in its farmland days. Among the earliest residents of this increasingly cosmopolitan heart of London was Charles II’s illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth. By the 19^th century it must have seemed a strange area, described by John Galsworthy in the Forsyte Saga as ‘Untidy, full of Greeks, Ismaelites, cats, Italians, tomatoes, restaurants, organs, coloured stuffs, queer names, people looking out of upper windows, it dwells remote from the British Body Politic’. Today there’s a complete China town and restaurants serve haute cuisine from scores of countries.

Berwick Street market provides the best displays of fresh fruit and vegetables, while clubs present a saucier frontage. Soho is for shopping, entertainments and browsing or dining day and night.

1. Where did the name "Soho" come from?

2. Who was among the earliest residents of this cosmopolitan heart of London?

3. How did John Galsworthy describe this place in the "Forsyte Saga"?

4. What does Berwick Street market provide?

2. Explain the meanings of the following words and word combinations in English and use them to speak about Soho. Find the appropriate synonyms for the words:

1. theatreland	4. queer	7. haute cuisine
2. cultural mix	5. the best displays	8. a saucier frontage
3. residents	6. scores of	9. to browse

3. Make use of the words and word-combinations given above to write down 10 sentences of your own.

 4. Write 5-6 questions about the text in pairs. Exchange your questions with another pair. Answer the questions without looking at the article again.