Lesson One. The Greatest City in the World

 

I. Study the vocabulary list that follows:

to abandon - покидать

to be consecrated – быть освященным

borough – округ, район (в Лондоне)

Changing of the Guard – смена караула

Edward the Confessor - Эдуард Исповедник, король Англии (1042-1066)

Lord Mayor – лорд-мэр (титул главы муниципалитета крупных городов, а также лондонского Сити)

Greater London – Большой Лондон (административно-территориальная единица, в которую входят Лондон, и части графств Мидлсекс, Эссекс, Кент, Суррей и ХартфордширЖ делится на 32 района (borough) и Cити)

Wellington – герцог Веллингтона

Nelson – адмирал Нельсон

medieval - средневековый

menagerie - зверинец

mint - монета

Old Bailey – Центральный уголовный суд, находящийся в Олд-Бейли

Stock Exchange – Лондонская фондовая биржа

Lloyd’s - «Ллойд» (ассоциация страховщиков, занимающаяся преимущественно морским страхованием. Названа по имени владельца кофейни Э. Лллойда, у которого в 18 в собирались судовладельцы, торговцы и т. п.

 

II. Read the text:

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial center. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its population is about 8 million. London is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world.

London was founded in the first century A.D. by the Romans. They left London in the 5^th century and the city was largely abandoned. By the 8^th century London was again a busy trading center, and in the 11^th century it became the capital of England. Edward the Confessor built a palace and an abbey at Westminster. The Norman period saw the construction of the Tower, old St. Paul's Cathedral and many churches and monasteries.

Medieval London grew in importance as a trading center and in 1215 its citizens won the right to elect their own leader, or Lord Mayor. London began to spread beyond the city walls during the Tudor and Stuart periods.

The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed three-quarters of the city. Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt St. Paul's Cathedral and designed 51 churches. The rebuilding of London followed the medieval street plan, but the old wooden houses were replaced by buildings of brick to reduce the future fire risk.

During the 19th century London spread rapidly into the suburbs. As a result of it, new forms of transport were developed, including the underground railway system. Britain was then at the height of her imperial power and this is expressed in such buildings as the Houses of Parliament and St. Pancras Station.

Large areas of London were destroyed by bombs during World War II, and the rebuilding that followed was of mixed quality.

Today the metropolis of Greater London covers 625 square miles and consists of 33 separate boroughs. The gradual growth of the city helps to explain the fact that London does not have just one center, it has a number of centers, each with a distinct character. Traditionally Lon­don is divided into several parts: the City, Westminste r, the West End and the East End.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business center. The City refers to a small area which includes the site of the original Roman town. It is an area with a long and exciting history, and it is proud of its traditional role as a center of trade and commerce. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange, Lloyd’s and the Old Bailey. The City extends over an area of about 2,6 square km. About half a million people work there, but less then 6000 live there.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It is the symbol of wealth and luxury. It includes Trafalgar Square, Soho, and Piccadilly Circus and many other places of interest.The best hotels, shops, res­taurants, clubs and theatres are situated there. There are splendid houses and lovely gardens belonging to wealthy people. Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street is an endless shopping area which attracts visitors from all over in the world. Drury Lane, Shaftsbury Avenue, Haymarket and the Strand are bright with theatrical lights, with musicals and dramas, farce and comedy.

The East End of London starts just next to the City. You only have to cross the street in the City and you’ve entered the traditional working class area of London. It ‘s like entering a different world. You can see there high-tech, high-rise steel and glass buildings and narrow alleyways that haven’t changed since the 19^th century. Some decades ago it was the poorest district of London which grew with the spread of industries and the growth of the port of London. Nowadays it has been “discovered”. These days it has become home to the hyper-rich, and there are loads of fashionable bars and restaurants opening up all the time.

 

III. Answer the questions:

1.What is London? 2. What river does it stand on? 3. List the major stages in the history of London. 4. What is the City? 5. What is one of the most interesting monuments in the City? 6. What is the West End? 7. What is the East End? What changes occurred there?

 

IV. Choose the correct answer:

1. Where are the Government offices situated?

a. Downing Street b. Trafalgar Square c. Whitehall

2. What street is the residence of the Prime Minister located in?

a. Strand b. Oxford Street c. Downing Street

3. What is the official residence of the Queen in London?

a. Windsor Castle b. Buckingham Palace c. Westminster Palace

4. What is the place of coronations and weddings?

a. St. Paul’s Cathedral b. Westminster Abbey c. Buckingham Palace

5. Where did Sherlock Holmes live?

a. Piccadilly Circus b. Baker Street c. Strand

6. Where is the monument to Nelson?

a. Trafalgar Square b. Hyde Park c. the Tower

7. Where is Big Ben?

a. Westminster Abbey b. St. Stephen’s Tower c. Buckingham Palace

8. Where does the Thames flow?

a. the North Sea b. the Irish Sea c. the English Channel

 

V. Agree or disagree with the following:

1.The Thames flows into the Baltic Sea. 2. The Tower once served as a Royal

Residence and now it is a prison. 3. St. Paul’s Cathedral is in the City. 4. The Tower is now the official residence of the Queen. 5. Big Ben is a famous chiming clock in one of the Parliament’s two towers. 6. The City is London’s shopping center. 7.Speakers from various political parties often hold meetings in Trafalgar Square. 8. The monument to Admiral Nelson stands in Hyde Park. 9. The West End is the most pleasant residential area in London. 10. The traffic in Great Britain keeps to the right as everywhere in Europe.

 

VI. Translate into English:

1. Лондон – один из крупнейших городов мира. Это крупный промышленный, торговый и культурный центр Англии. 2. Официальной резиденцией королевы является Букингемский дворец. 3. Тауэр в прошлом был королевской резиденцией, потом тюрьмой, а сейчас это музей. 4. Биг Бен, знаменитые часы с курантами, находится в одной из башен Парламента. 5. Лондон вырос из старинного центра – Сити. 6. Представители различных политических партий часто собираются в Гайд Парке. 7. В Ист-Энде нет роскошных парков и особняков. Это в основном промышленный район.

 

VII. Retell the text or get ready to answer the question from Lesson Three.