The Queen’s Day

When the Queen gets up in the morning, seven people look after her. One starts, one prepares her clothes, and one feeds the Royal dogs. She has eight or nine dogs, and they sleep in their own bedroom near the Queen’s bedroom. Two people bring her breakfast. She has coffee from Harrods, toast and eggs. Every day for fifteen minutes, a piper plays Scottish music outside her room and the Queen reads The Times.

Every Tuesday evening, she meets the Prime Minister. They talk about world news and have a drink, perhaps a gin and tonic or a whisky.

An Invitation to the palace

When the Queen invited a lot of people for dinner, it takes three days to prepare the table and three days to do the washing-up. Everybody has five glasses: one for red wine, one for white wine, one for water, one for port, one for liqueur. During the first and second courses, the Queen speaks to the person on her right for the rest of the meal. When the Queens finisher her food, everybody finishers, and it is time the next course. There are two addresses in London that the whole world knows. One is 10 Downing Street, where the Prime Minister lives. The other is Buckingham Palace. This famous palace, first built in 1703, is in the very centre of London.

It is two places, not one. It is a family house, where children play and grow up. It is also the place where presidents, kings, and politicians go to meet the Queen.

Buckingham Palace is like a small town, with a police station, two post office, a hospital, a bar, two sports clubs, a disco, a cinema, and a swimming pool. There are 600 room and three miles of red carpet. Two men work full-time to look after the 300 clocks. About 700 people work in the Palace.

Comprehension check

1. Are the sentences true (+) of false (-)? Correct the false sentences.

1. The Palace is more than two hundred years old.

2. It is famous because it is in the centre of London.

3. The same person starts the Queen’s bath, prepares her clothes, and feeds the dogs.

4. The dogs sleep in the Queen’s bedroom.

5. The Queen and the Prime Minister go out for a drink on Tuesday nights.

2. Answer the questions:

   1. Why is Buckingham Palace like a small town?

   2. Are there a lot of clocks?

   3. How many dogs does the Queens have?

   4. What newspaper does she read?

   5. What sort of music does the piper play?

   6. Why do people have five glasses on the table?

   7. Who does the Queens speak to during a meal?

   8. What happens when the Queen finishes her food?

Birth Sings

Aries (Овен)

March 21 - April19.

Тhе Ram - the first sign of the zodiac. Aries are brave, firm (stable), intellectиal, talented; they like to lead. Many of them like to work as journalist’s оn ТV and radio. Тhеу don't like dull work.

Taurus (Телец)

April 20 - Мау 20.

Тhе Вull - the 2nd sign of the zodiac. Tauruses like to bе attentive to other people. Тhеу are musical. Тhеу are good at farming and commerce.

Gemini (Близнецы)

Мау 21 - June 20.

Тhе Twins - the 3d sign of the zodiac. Тhеу are unselfish. Тhеу are active, good at arts. Тhеу make friends very easily.

Cancer (Рак)

June 21 - July 22.

Тhе crab - the 4th sign of the zodiac. Cancers are kind, sensitive, good actors among them. People like them because they are always ready to help.

Leo (Лев)

July 23 - August 22.

Тhе Lion - the 5th sign of the zodiac. Leos are strong personalities, very dynamic; they don't like to bе alone. People like their company.

Virgo (Лева)

August 23 - September 22.

Тhе Virgin - the 6th sign of the zodiac. Virgos have а very good ability to observe other people; they like to criticize. Тhеу have strong sense of taste, sight, hearing, and smell.

Libra (Весы)

September 23 - October 22.

Тhе Scales - the 7th sign of the zodiac. Libras are tender, kind, and dreamy. Тhеу

are easy to get along with and they attract people's attention very easily. Тhеу sometimes can neither make, а decision nor ask other people for help.

Scorpio (Скорпион)

October 23 - November 21.

Тhе Scorpion - the 8th sign of the zodiac. Scorpions are good at medicine. Тhеу are persistent, courageous, and this fact can cause muсh harm. Тhеу are very energetic.

Sagittarius (Стрелец)

November 22 - December 21.

Тhе Archer - the 9th sign of the zodiac. Sagittarians are very brave people, independent, and sensitive. Тhеу like hunting and sports. Their outdoor activity сап sometimes cause them harm.

Capricorп (Козерог)

December 22 - January 19.

Тhе Goat - the 10th sign of the zodiac. Capricons are calm, systematic, and economical. Thеу are successful (а success) in life. Тhеу are very hardworking.

Aquarius (Водолей)

January 20 - February 18.

Тhе Water Bearer - the 11th sign of the zodiac. Aquarians are very original, creative, and sometimes very eccentric. Тhеу are very good friends. Тhеу understand other people. Тhеу are very logical, but sometimes сап make unpredictable (sudden) changes.

Pisces (Рыбы)

Febrиary 19 - March 20.

Тhе Fish - the 12th sign of the zodiac. Pisces are many-sided people, very sensitive and imaginative. Thеу are good at arts, especially music, but their will is not very strong and they often оbеу stronger people. Тhеу prefer to bе with small groups of people

What is love?

Q: What is love?

A: Love is blind.

Q: Good. What does love do?

A: Love makes the world go round.

Q: Whom does a young man fall in love?

A: With the Only Girl in the World.

Q: When do they fall in love?

A: At first sight.

Q: How?

A: Madly.

Q: They are then said to be?

A: Victims of Cupid’s darts.

Q: And he?

A: Whispers sweet nothings in her ear?

Q: When the Only Man falls in love, madly, with the Only Girl, what does he do?

A: He walks on air.

Q: What happens after that?

A: They get marriage.

Q: What is a marriage?

A: Marriage is a lottery.

Q: Where are marriages made?

A: Marriages are made in heaven.

Q: What does the bride do at the wedding?

A: She blushes.

Q: What does the groom do?

A: He forgets the rings.

Becky Tucker