Test yourself.

1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland comprises _______ parts. A. 3 B. 4 C. 5

2. The name for the island that comprises England, Scotland, and Wales is _______.

A. The United KingdomB. Great Britain C. The British Isles

3. The Coat of Arms of the UK shows _______.

A. a shield, a crown, a lion, a unicorn and the motto “Dieu et mon driot”;

B. a bald eagle with a ribbon in its mouth bearing the motto “E pluribus Unum”, 13 arrows and an olive branch in its talons;

C. a shield, a kangaroo, an emu, a branch of acacia

4. The British national flag (The Union Jack) hasn’t _______.

A. St Catherines’ Cross B. St George’s Cross

C. St Andrew’s Cross D. St Patrick’s Cross

5. The British national anthem is _______.

A. “God Save the Queen”

B. “In God we trust”

C. “God forbid”

6. The British unit of money is _______.

A. Irish pound

B. pound sterling

C. Egyptian pound

7. A city in eastern England where one of the oldest Universities is located _______.

A. Bedford B. Harvard C. Cambridge

8. One of the main industrial cities in west central England is _______.

A. Belfast

B. Birmingham

C. Cardiff

9. An industrial city and metropolitan district in England, founded in Roman times, developed in the 18th and 19th centuries as a centre of the English cotton industry is _______.

A. Manchester B. the Wheat Belt C. the Rust Belt

Unit 5

You will read & translate a text about London. Before you read, discuss in pairs the following.

1. Have you ever been to London? 2. How do foreigners characterize the British? 3. What happened in London in1666? 4. How do the British call the London Underground? 5. What traditional song is performed at a British birthday party? Do you know it? 6. What is Conrad (Nicholson) Hilton famous for? Do you know anything about the Hilton Hotels Corporation?

London

The capital of the United Kingdom, in southeastern England on the Thames River about forty miles from its mouth is London. London is a leading global city, with its strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the largest city in Britain and one of the largest cities in the world. It is known as one of the largest sea ports in the world. London has the largest city GDP in Europe, and is home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies.

The Thames River has had a major influence on the development of the city. London began on the Thames' north bank and for a long time the main focus of the city remained on the north side of the Thames. For many centuries London Bridge was the only bridge in or close to the city.

London’s history goes back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium. It was settled as a river port and trading centre shortly after the Roman invasion of AD 43 and has been a flourishing centre since the Middle Ages. It is divided administratively into the City of London, which is the country's financial centre, and 32 boroughs. The London boroughs are administered by London Borough Councils which are elected every four years. The boroughs are the principal local authorities in London and are responsible for running most local services in their areas, such as schools, social services, waste collection, and roads.

As far as I know in London one can see architecture of different centuries and styles. It is closely connected with the history of London. The Romans, the Saxons (West Germanic tribe), the Danes, the Normans settled in Britain. London survived the Great Plague - a serious outbreak of bubonic plague in England in 1665-1666, in which about one fifth of the population of London died. It was the last major outbreak in Britain.

The Great Fire of London is to be mentioned. During the Fire all wooden houses were completely ruined and a New London with bigger houses and wider streets was built.

Traditionally London is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. I’d like to start with the City.

The City of London is a small area within Greater London. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis of London, though remains a notable part of Central London. It is often referred to as the City (often written on maps as "City") or the Square Mile, as it is just over one square mile (1.12 sq mi/2.90 km²) in area. These terms are also often used as metonyms for the United Kingdom's financial services industry, which has historically been based here. The City has a resident population of around 10,000, but around 330,000 people work there, mainly in the financial services sector. There are many banks, offices, and the Stock Exchange.

Greater London covers an area of 1,579 square kilometers (610 sq mi), an area which had a population of 7,172,036. The West End is the richest part of the city with its beautiful avenues, parks and gardens, grand hotels, theatres and fashionable shops. It is a symbol of wealth and luxury. Here one can see the Houses of Parliament, most governmental offices, such as Foreign Office, Home Office, etc. The East End is a vast area running eastward from the city. It is poor and crowded. It has all the main docks and a lot of factories. In the East End one can see numerous dirty houses and slums.

If you want to get some glimpses of London, you’d better start sightseeing with the Tower of London, which comes first among the historic buildings of the city. It was built as the fortress after the Norman invasion of England in 1066. It has been used as the Royal Palace, as an observatory, and a prison. For many visitors the principal attraction is the Crown Jewels, the finest precious stones of the nation.

Another historic building is St. Paul’s Cathedral, the greatest of English churches. It was built by a famous English architect Sir Christopher Wren. St. Paul’s Cathedral, with its famous Whispering Gallery, is considered to be a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.

Westminster Abbey was founded by Edward the Confessor in 1050. The best part of the Abbey is a wonderful chapel, dating back to the 16^th century. It is famous for its magnificent architecture. There are many monuments there. Many English kings and queens are buried there. One of the greatest treasures of the Abbey is oaken Coronation Chair made in 1300. On the south side of Westminster Abbey is Poet’s Corner, where the greatest English writers are buried. Here also are memorials to Shakespeare, Burns, Byron, Scott and so on. Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, which is spread magnificently on the north bank of the Thames. It is a remarkable example of Gothic architecture.

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