Task 7. Read and translate text B.
Text B
If you ever come to London you will surely go to Trafalgar Square. It was named in memory of the victory in the battle of Trafalgar. Here on October 21, 1805 the English fleet under Nelson’s command defeated the combined fleet of France and Spain. The victory was won at the cost of Nelson’s life. In the middle of Trafalgar Square stands Nelson’s monument – a tall column with the figure of Nelson at its top. The column is guarded by four bronze lions.
The fine building facing the square is the National Gallery. It houses the national collection of paintings; representing every art school (more than 2 thousand pictures). It was opened in 1838 and excludes the works of living artists. One can find them at the Tate Gallery.
There are several large museums in London. The biggest of them is the British Museum. It contains a priceless collection of different things: ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures and etc. The British Museum is famous for its library – one of the richest in the world.
The Victoria and Albert Museum has a magnificent collection of fine and applied arts. It includes a wide-ranging display of ceramics and metal work.
The Natural History Museum contains plants, animals and minerals. The Hall of Human Biology enables visitors to learn about their bodies and the way they work. Exhibits in the Science Museum display the discovery and development of such inventions as steam engine, photography, glass-making, printing and atomic physics. There is a gallery where children can experiment with working models.
The Museum of London in the City presents the biography of London from the founding of London by the Romans to the Greater London of today.
One can’t leave London without visiting Hyde Park or “The Park” as Londoners call it. Originally it was a royal hunting forest and now it is the largest park in London. In summer the Serpentine Canal which flows through the park is always full of swimmers, rowers and sunbathers. To the south of the Serpentine is Rotten Row, a fashionable spot for horse-riding and near Marble Arch there is Speakers’ Corner. Here everyone can go and air his views to anyone who will listen.
Beyond Hyde Park lies another royal park, Kensington Gardens. Children gather by the statue of Peter Pan, a well-known story-book character, or sail their model boats on the Round Pond.
In the north of London is Regent’s Park with the Zoo and an open-air theatre. If you get a trip in a waterbus along Regent’s Canal, you will have a chance to see London Little Venice, a quiet country-side area for rich people only as the land here is very expensive.
Task 8. Read, translate and practice the proper names.
Trafalgar Square [trә'fælgә skwεә]
the National Gallery [‘næ∫әnl 'gælәri]
the Tate Gallery [teit 'gælәri]
the British Museum
the Victoria and Albert Museum ['mju:ziәm]
the National History Museum
the Science Museum [saiәns]
Hyde Park [haid pa:k]
Speakers’ Corner
Kensington Gardens ['kenziŋtәn kә'næl]
Regent’s Park ['ri:dƷәnts pa:k]
Regent’s Canal ['ri:dƷәnts kә'næl]
London Little Venice ['venis]
Task 9. Answer the questions.
What event is connected with the name of Trafalgar Square?
What does the National Gallery contain?
Where can we find the works of living artists?
Why is the British Museum the biggest one?
What is it famous for?
What collection has the Victoria and Albert Museum?
Why is the National History Museum so interesting?
What do the exhibits of the Science Museum display?
What does the Museum of London present?
What can you say about Hyde Park?
What other parks of London do you know?
What are they famous for?
Task 10. Agree or disagree with the following statements.
Trafalgar Square was named in memory of the victory in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Nelson’s Column is guarded by five bronze lions.
The National Gallery includes works of living artists.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is the biggest in London.
The British Museum is famous for its library, one of the richest in the world.
The Natural History Museum contains plants, animals and minerals.
The Science Museum displays the discovery of space.
Londoners call Hyde Park simply “The Park”.
The Serpentine canal flows through London.
Speakers’ Corner is situated in Regent’s Park.
In Kensington Gardens children sail their model boats on the Round Pond.
If you boat along Regent’s canal, you will see London Little Venice.
Task 11. Complete the sentences.
Trafalgar Square was named … .
In the middle of Trafalgar Square stands … .
The column is guarded … .
The National Gallery houses the national collection … .
At the Tate Gallery you can find … .
The British Museum contains … .
The National History Museum exhibits … .
Exhibits in the Science Museum display … .
The Museum of London presents … .
Originally Hyde Park was … .
In summer the Serpentine canal is full … .
To the south of the Serpentine is Rotten Row … .
In Kensington Gardens children … .
In the north of London is Regent’s Park … .
If you get a trip along Regent’s canal … .
Task 12. Do the test. Choose the right answer.
1. Trafalgar Square was named in memory of the victory in the battle of …
a) Trafalgar
b) London
c) Dover
2. The English fleet under Nelson’s command defeated the combined fleet of …
a) Russia and America
b) France and Spain
c) Australia and New Zealand
3. Nelson’s column is guarded by …
a) five bronze lions
b) four bronze lions
c) six bronze lions
4. The National Gallery houses the national collection of …
a) coins
b) manuscripts
c) paintings
5. The biggest museum of London is …
a) the Science Museum
b) the British Museum
c) the Museum of London
6. The Victoria and Albert Museum has a magnificent collection of …
a) fine and applied arts
b) plants and animals
c) paintings and photographs
7. Exhibits in the Science Museum display the discovery of …
a) steam engine
b) America
c) space
8. The Serpentine canal flows through …
a) Regent’s Park
b) Kensington Gardens
c) Hyde Park
9. Children sail their model boats on …
a) the Black Pond
b) the Round Pond
c) the Serpentine canal
10. They gather by the statue of …
a) Gulliver
b) Harry Potter
c) Peter Pan
11. Speakers’ Corner is situated in …
a) Hyde Park
b) Regent’s Park
c) Kensington Gardens
12. You have a chance of seeing London Little Venice getting a trip along …
a) the Thames
b) the Serpentine canal
c) the Regent’s canal
Task 13. Read and translate the poem, guess what city it is devoted to.
Symphony in yellow
Oscar Wilde, 1889
An omnibus across the bridge
Crawls like a yellow butterfly,
And, here and there, a passer-by
Shows like a little restless midge.
Big barges full of yellow hay
Are moored against the shadowy wharf,
And, like a yellow silken scarf,
The thick fog hangs along the quay.
The yellow leaves begin to fade
And flutter from the Temple elms,
And at my feet the pale green Thames
Lies like a road of rippled jade.
Words: to crawl-ползать, с трудом продвигаться a midge-мошка, комар hay-сено to moor-причаливать, вставать на якорь, пришвартовываться |
Wharf-пристань, причал to fade-вянуть, увядать to flutter-трепетать, порхать the Temple-Темпл, одно из двух лондонских обществ адвокатов и здание, в котором оно помещается jade-нефрит |
Task 14. Do the test. Choose the right answer.
Britain and the British
1. What is the current Queen’s name?
a) Queen Ann I
b) Queen Elisabeth II
c) Queen Victoria
2. Where does the Changing of the Guard take place?
a) Buckingham Palace
b) Piccadilly Circus
c) Westminster Abbey
3. What is Harrod’s?
a) a bank
b) a department store
c) a school
4. How many pence are there in 1 pound sterling?
a) 10
b) 100
c) 1000
5. What is the name of the famous stadium in the north of London?
a) Wembley
b) Wimbledon
c) Westminster
6. Manchester United is a popular … team.
a) basketball
b) football
c) handball
7. What famous writer was born in Stratford-upon-Avon?
a) Robert Burns
b) Agatha Christie
c) William Shakespeare
8. Which king had 6 wives?
a) Henry IV
b) Henry V
c) Henry VIII
9. The national symbol of Wales is a … .
a) thistle
b) shamrock
c) daffodil
10. Haggis is a traditional Scottish … .
a) plate
b) dish
c) food
11. The longest river in Great Britain is … .
a) the Clyde
b) the Thames
c) the Severn
12. The English Channel separates Great Britain from … .
a) France
b) the Netherlands
c) Sweden
13. The capital of Wales is … .
a) Edinburgh
b) Belfast
c) Cardiff
14. What city does the 0° meridian pass through?
a) Greenwich
b) Sheffield
c) Nottingham
15. The highest mountain of Great Britain is … .
a) Ben Nevis
b) McKinley
c) Snowdon
16. Which of the following is not the patron saint of a UK country?
a) St. George
b) St. Andrew
c) St. Harry
17. The part of the UK which is not represented in the Union Jack is … .
a) Wales
b) Northern Ireland
c) Scotland
18. When visiting a house for the first time in the New Year (first footing), it is traditional to carry what in your hand?
a) a cake
b) a bottle of whisky
c) a lump of coal
d) a piece of cheese
19. The flag of which country features a dragon?
a) Scotland
b) Wales
c) England
d) Northern Ireland
20. Where in London is Poet’s Corner?
a) St. Paul’s Cathedral
b) Hyde Park
c) Westminster Abbey
Список литературы:
1. Голицинский Ю. Б. Великобритания. – СПб.: КАРО, 2003
2. Сатинова В. Ф. Читаем и говорим о Британии и британцах. – Мн.: Высшая школа, 1997
3. Тимановсакя Н. А. Взгляд на англоговорящие страны. – Тула; Автограф, 1998
4. Томахин Г. Д. Будни и отдых британцев. Лингвострановедческий справочник – М.: Просвещение, 2002
5. Мартынова Т. В. Meet the queen (The British monarchy today). УМР на английском языке для студентов неязыковых факультетов. Часть I, - Владимир: ВГГУ, 2010
6. Мартынова Т. В. Meet the queen (The British monarchy today). УМР на английском языке для студентов неязыковых факультетов. Часть II, - Владимир: ВГГУ, 2010
7. http://www.learn-english-today.com
8. http://www.cambridge.org
9. http:///www.dailymail.co.uk