London

London

English lesson

Read the text:

• London is the capital of the United Kingdom, its economic, political and cultural centre. It is one of the world’s most important ports and one of the largest cities in the world. London with its suburbs has a population of about 11 million people.

• London has been a capital for nearly a thousand years. Many of its ancient buildings still stand. The most famous of them are the Tower of London, where the crown jewels are kept, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Most visitors also want to see the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace (the Queen’s home with its Changing of the Guards) and the many magnificent museums.

Poll

What part does London play in the life of the United Kingdom?

• It is a big city of the UK

• It is a capital of the UK

Multiple Select

The London home of the Queen is:

• Windsor Castle

• Westminster Palace

• Buckingham Palace

Once London was a small Roman town on the north bank of the Thames. Slowly it grew into one of the world’s major cities.

Open Ended

What are the most famous ancient buildings of London?

• Different areas of London seem like different cities. The West End is a rich man’s world of shops, offices and theatres. The City of London is the district where most offices and banks are concentrated; the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England are here, too. The East End is the district where mostly working people live. The old port area is now called «Docklands». There are now new office buildings in Docklands, and thousands of new flats and houses.

Open Ended

What are different districts of London famous for?

By the day the whole of London is busy. At night, offices are quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas. In nearby Soho the pubs, restaurants and night clubs are busy half the night.

Multiple Select

The famous clock tower’s name is:

• Big Bang

• Big Clock

• Big Ben