Lesson 9. London. The Capital.

Pre-reading

Task 1. Answer the following questions choosing the proper variant:

1. How much do you know about London?

a) not much

b) enough

c) much

d) your own variant

2. When was the capital of the UK founded?

a) in the first century B. C.

b) in the first century A. D.

c) in the fifth century

d) your own variant

3. Would you like to visit London? Why?

a) No. I’d rather prefer some other city. There is nothing interesting for me in London.

b) Yes, of course. There are many places of interest in London.

c) Sure. First of all I’d like to improve my English and to see their culture.

d) your own variant

4. Say whether the British capital is divided into several parts or not.

a) Yes. It consists of the City, the West End and the East End.

b) No. There is no division into different parts in London.

c) Yes. Like all other cities London has its centre. And all the rest of its territory doesn’t belong to the central part.

d) your own variant

Task 2. Try to do the following tasks while reading the text below:

A. Think of the outline of the text or just write out the key notions (words) covered in the text

B. Compare the British capital with the Russian one (You may cover any aspect you like).

B. Make a conclusion to characterise London in one sentence.

C. Decide on what place you would like to visit in London most of all. Explain your choice.

Task 3. Read the text to check yourself.

London. The capital.

London is the capital of the UK. It was founded in the first century A. D. by the Romans. One in seven of the population of the United Kingdom is a Londoner.

London draws people from all over the world. Some come on business, some come to study, to work or on holiday. London is naturally a very English city and it is very cosmopolitan, containing goods, food and entertainment, as well as people, from many countries of the world. London spreads its influence over much of the southern areas of England; it gives work to millions of people who live not only in the inner city areas but in surrounding districts.

There is much in London which fascinates visitors and inspires the affection of Londoners: the splendour of the royal palaces and the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, the dignity of St. Paul’s Cathedral and many monuments and beautiful parks. London shows examples of buildings that express all the different areas of its history. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the Sovereign. The palace was built in 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham. Piccadilly Circus has become an important meeting point. At its heart there is a bronze fountain topped by a figure of a winded archer, known as Eros, the pagan god of love. This area is now famous for its theatres, clubs and shops. Whitehall is a street in central London running from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament and containing many important buildings and government offices, such as the Treasury, Admiralty and others. In the centre of the roadway stands the Cenotaph, the memorial to the fallen of both world wars. The Prime Minister’s residence at No. 10 Downing Street isdirectly connected to Whitehall.

London is always full of life. The streets are crowded with traffic. High ‘double-decker’ buses rise above the smaller cars and vans.

London is a city of great contrasts. Its West end is the richest part of London. The East End is the districtinhabited by the workers and the poor. The heart of London is the City – its commercial and business centre. The city of London today is the financial powerhouse of the country and one of the chief commercial centres of the western world. The city has its own Lord Major, its own Government and its own police force. Here the medieval buildings stand side by side with modern glass high-rise offices.

The parks of London provide a welcome contrast to the great built-up areas. St. James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens are linked together. They form 313 hectares of open parkland in the heart of London.

Vocabulary

Task 4. A. Find the English equivalents of the Russian words and study the word combinations.

- притягивать людей со всех концов мира

- распространять свое влияние на …

- близлежащие (окружающие) районы

- очаровывать приезжих

- вдохновлять на любовь (увлеченность)

- средневековые здания

- римляне

- монарх

- Палаты Парламента

- Собор Святого Павла

- населять (заселять)

B. Find the Russian equivalents of the English words and study the word combinations.

- modern glass high-rise offices

- splendour of the royal palaces

- the dignity of…

- to take place

- courtyard

- crowded with traffic

- ‘double-decker’ buses

- the financial powerhouse

- to provide a welcome contrast to…

C. Make your own sentences with the word combinations above. Try to use as many of them as you can.

Task 5. A. Find or think of synonyms of the words below:

- to fascinate

- affection

- beautiful

- In the centre

- to take place

B. Find or think of antonyms of the words below:

- the poor

- modern

- different

- much

С. Match the words with their definitions

1. cosmopolitan	A. the power of persons or things to affect others, seen only in its effects
2. influence	B. to cause to be encircled on all or nearby all sides
3. to surround	C. to have in it: hold, enclose, or include
4. to contain	D. common to or representative of all or many parts of the world
5. inner city	e) the quality of being worthy of esteem or honour; worthiness
6. to spread	f) to come together in a large group
7. splendour	g) the sections of a large city in or near its centre, esp. When crowded or blighted
8. dignity	h) to dwell or live in
9. to crowd	I) to distribute over a surface or areas
10. to inhabit	j) great luster or brightness; brilliance

 

Task 6. Fill in the prepositions.

A. in (3) B. by (2) C. on (2) D. of (3) e) to (2) f) from g) over (2) h) at I) for j) with (2) k) above

 

1. London was founded … the first century A. D. … the Romans.

2. London draws people … all … the world.

3. Some come … business, some come to study, to work or … holiday.

4. London spreads its influence … much … the southern areas … England; it gives work … millions … people.

5. Buckingham Palace was built … 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham.

6. The Prime Minister’s residence … No. 10 Downing Street isdirectly connected Whitehall.

7. Piccadilly Circus is now famous … its theatres, clubs and shops.

8. The streets in London are crowded … traffic. High ‘double-decker’ buses rise … the smaller cars and vans.

9. In the city the medieval buildings stand side … side … modern glass high-rise offices.

10. The parks of London form 313 hectares of open parkland … the heart of London.

 

Grammar

Task 7. Look at the words and fill in the table.

Words	Prefix	Base word	Suffix
Government	-	govern	ment
Inspire
Entertainment
Splendour
Residence
Financial
Influence
Population

Task 8. A. Find in the text the sentences with the Passive Voice and translate them into Russian.

A. Choose the right variant and explain your choice.

1. This bridge … in 1867.

A. was building B. were built C. was built

 

2. Such modern glass high-rise offices … here in 3 or 5 years.

A. will construct B. will be constructed C. were being constructed

 

3. The East End … by the workers and the poor.

A. inhabited B. will inhabit C. is inhabited

 

4. The bronze fountain topped by a figure of a winded archer … as Eros, the pagan god of love.

A. is known B. will know C. was knowing

 

5. This old monument … at the moment.

A. is reconstructed B. is reconstructing C. is being reconstructed

С. Revise your Grammar. Check yourself, consulting the following rules:

the Passive Voice Использование: страдательный залог используется для описания действия, которому подвергается предмет, лицо, понятие; в тех случаях, когда неизвестен или не важен исполнитель действия (Более важным является само действие) Пример: My watch was stolen. – Мои часы были украдены. Образование: Present Simple: am / is / are + V3: Пример: Fruit is grown in the south of the country.- Фрукты выращиваются на юге страны. Past Simple: was / were + V3: Пример: The road was closed because the river flooded. – Дорога была закрыта из-за разлива реки. Изменение предложения из активного в страдательный залог: Active:They make fresh bread every morning. – Свежий хлеб пекут каждое утро. Passive:Fresh bread is made (by them) every morning. – Свежий хлеб выпекается каждое утро.

See also Lessons 6 and 14.