Unit three

Introducing london discussion

Ex. 1. Read the texts Introducing London and Some More Glimpses of London and choose the right answer:

1. The Serpentine is…

   1. A shady avenue in Hyde Park

   2. A circular road round London

   3. A canal in Hyde Park

   4. London Zoo.

2. The Serpentine is called so, because it resembles …

   1. An elephant

   2. A very big snake

   3. A branch of the fir-tree

   4. Christmas tree.

3. The name of Trafalgar originally belongs to …

   1. A big Spanish town

   2. A Portuguese village

   3. A French island

   4. A cape of Iberian Peninsula.

4. On top of the column in Piccadilly Circus there is a statue of …

   1. Eros

   2. L’Amour

   3. Apollo

   4. AIDS

5. Rotten Row is …

   1. A famous market place

   2. An ancient street in London

   3. A wasteground outside London

   4. A spot for horse-riding in Hyde Park.

6. The name of Threadneedle Street is usually associated with …

   1. East End seamstresses

   2. West End department stores

   3. Westminster fashion styles

   4. Financial centre of the City.

7. ‘Whitehall’ often stands for …

   1. The Royal Family

   2. British Parliament

   3. The Government of the UK

   4. British public opinion.

8. … is considered to be Britain’s most respectable newspaper.

   1. The Times

   2. Time

   3. The daily express

   4. The National Geographic.

9. St. Paul’s Cathedral was built by …

   1. Edward the Confessor

   2. Sir Christopher Wren

   3. William the Conqueror

   4. Michelangelo Buonarrotti.

10. Due to its geographical position London is always in danger of …

    1. Floods

    2. Conflagrations

    3. Great Fire

    4. Simooms.

11. For most Londoners a double-decker is …

    1. An old man-of-war

    2. A bus

    3. A bed in a jail cell

    4. A bed for two persons.

12. The Beefeaters are …

    1. Muslims who don’t eat pork

    2. Carnivorous animals

    3. Guards of the Tower

    4. Frequenters of restaurants.

13. The name of Fleet Street used to be associated with …

    1. The Royal Navy

    2. The Merchant Fleet

    3. The Church of England

    4. British Press.

14. Hyde Park was originally …

    1. A royal hunting ground

    2. The famous woods of Robin Hood

    3. The largest park in London

    4. The place to hide the Crown Jewels.

15. Little Venice bears its name because …

    1. It is little

    2. Only poor people live there

    3. It resembles Venice

    4. Only rich people live there.

Ex. 2. Read supplementary texts on p. 99-100. Try and find some more information about London and Great Britain in order to answer the following questions:

A. 1. How old is London?

2. Did Julius Caesar conquer it?

3. How long were the Roman legions stationed in Britain?

4. Why did the country change its name for England?

5. What Anglo-Saxon kingdom did London belong to in the early Middle Ages?

6. Who built Westminster Palace and Abbey? When was it?

7. How did Duke William of Normandy get his name of the Conqueror?

8. What do you know about the Battle of Hastings?

9. Whose idea was it to build the Tower of London? What was the reason for that project?

10. What was the official language in England after the Norman Conquest? In what ways did it influence further development of English?

B. 1. When did Parliament emerge in England?

2. How did the Church of England come into being?

3. What do you know about Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth of England?

4. Who were the Jacobites?

5. What main historic events are usually associated with the name of Queen Victoria?

6. When did they start the Underground in London?

7. Where are the main burial places for the leading British generals and intellectuals? Can you name some of those outstanding personalities?

8. What London museums are known best all over the world?

9. Could you describe the part played by Londoners in the Battle of Britain?

10. What is, in your opinion, the best way to see London quickly and efficiently?

Ex. 3. Choose the best answer:

1. What is the meeting place for Parliament?

   1. Westminster Palace

   2. Westminster Abbey

   3. The Tower of London

   4. The Capitol.

2. What are the functions of Lord Chancellor?

   1. He heads the Government

   2. He presides over the House of Lords

   3. He leads Her Majesty’s Opposition

   4. He is responsible for Her Majesty’s household.

3. Who bears the title of Prince Consort?

   1. The Queen’s eldest son

   2. Prince of Wales’s next brother

   3. The former King after abdication

   4. The husband of the reigning Queen.

4. When was the present-day building for Parliament designed?

   1. By Sir Christopher Wren in 1720

   2. By Sir Charles Barry in 1840

   3. By James M. Barrie in 1880

   4. By Peter Pan in 1940.

5. Which are the leading parties in modern Britain’s political life?

   1. The Tories and the Wigs

   2. Liberal and Democratic

   3. Labour and Conservative

   4. Republican and Democratic.

6. What is the highest legislative authority in the UK?

   1. The House of Lords

   2. The House of Commons

   3. Queen in the Parliament

   4. Cabinet of Ministers.

7. The United Kingdom is usually referred to as a constitutional monarchy. When was the Constitution adopted?

   1. Magna Carta in 1215

   2. Declaration of Independence in 1776

   3. The Bill of Rights in 1689

   4. The UK does not have any written Constitution yet.

8. The Prime Minister is appointed by …

   1. The party that wins general election

   2. The Queen

   3. The House of Commons

   4. By both Chambers of Parliament.

9. Members of the House of Lords fall into four categories. Which of them have the right to vote?

   1. Princes of Royal Blood

   2. Hereditary Lords

   3. Life Peers

   4. Spiritual Lords.

10. What does the title ‘Chamberlain’ mean?

    1. A rank at the Royal Court

    2. Queen’s valet

    3. Deputy Head of the Cabinet

    4. The Speaker of the House of Commons.

11. Which definition actually refers to London’s Cenotaph?

    1. A war memorial

    2. An artifact from Egypt, brought to England by archaeologists

    3. Half-man, half-horse of old Greek myths

    4. Any tomb with no body inside.