Imagine you are speaking with an English businessman. Tell him about taxi services in your town.
Text
London was not built as a city in the same way as Paris or New York. It began life as a Roman fortification at a place where it was possible to cross the River Thames. A wall was built around the town for defence, but during the long period of peace which followed the Norman Conquest, people built outside the walls. This building continued over the years. In 1665 there was a terrible plague in London which killed too many people. In 1666 the Great Fire of London ended the plague, but it also destroyed much of the city. Although many people who had fled London during the plague returned to live in the rebuilt city after the plague and the Great Fire, there were never again so many Londoners living in the city centre.
These days London has spread further outwards into the country, including surrounding villages. Today the metropolis of Greater London covers about 610 square miles (1580 sq. km), and the suburbs of London continue even beyond this area. Some people even commute over 100 miles (over 150 km.) every day to work in London.
The gradual growth of the city helps to explain the fact that London does not have just one centre, it has a number of centres, each with a distinct character: the Government centre in Westminster, the shopping and entertainment centre in the West End, the financial and business centre called the City.
The City is rather a small area east of the centre 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 independence and traditional role as a centre of trade and commerce. The City of London is one of the major banking centres of the world and you can find the banks of many nations in the famous Threadneedle Street and the surrounding area. Here, too, the Bank of England, the central bank of the nation. is located. Nearby is the Stock Exchange where shares of commercial companies are bought and sold. A little further is Lloyd's, the most famous insurance company in the world.
During weekdays in the City one can see the City gents with their bowler hats, pin-striped suits and rolled umbrellas. This is the 'unifrom' only of those men involved in banking and business in the City.
Words and expressions
| to build (built, built) | [bIld, bIlt] | строить |
| to rebuild (rebuilt, | перестраивать | |
| rebuilt) | ||
| fortification | укрепление | |
| to cross | пересекать | |
| defence | защита | |
| peace | [pÖs] | мир |
| Norman | норманнский | |
| conquest | завоевание | |
| to continue | продолжать (ся) | |
| terrible | ужасный | |
| plague | [pleIg] | чума |
| to destroy | разрушать | |
| fire | пожар | |
| Londoner | житель Лондона | |
| to spread (spread, spread) | простираться, разверты | |
| вать (ся) | ||
| further | дальше, далее | |
| outwards | наружу | |
| ant inwards | внутрь | |
| to surround | окружать | |
| surrounding | окружающий | |
| metropolis | столица | |
| square (=sq.) | [skwe@] | квадратный |
| kilometre (^km.) | километр | |
| suburbs | пригород | |
| beyond | за, за пределами | |
| gradual | постепенный | |
| growth | рост | |
| a number of | несколько | |
| distinct | четкий | |
| character | характер | |
| the West End | Уэст-Энд (западная фешенебельная часть Лон | |
| дона) | ||
| east | восток | |
| east of the centre | к востоку от центра | |
| site | местоположение, участок, площадка | |
| original | первоначальный | |
| Roman | Римский | |
| exciting | [Ik'saItIÎ] | интересный, волнующий |
| independence | независимость | |
| traditional | традиционный | |
| role | роль | |
| commerce | ['komýs] | торговля |
| thread | нить | |
| needle | игла | |
| stock | акции и облигации | |
| stock exchange | фондовая биржа | |
| gent = gentlemen | ||
| bowler | котелок | |
| hat | шляпа | |
| pin-striped | в полоску | |
| suit | костюм | |
| rolled | закрытый | |
| umbrella | [öm'brel@] | зонт |
| to involve | привлекать | |
| men involved in business | люди, занятые в бизнесе |
Exercises
1. Translate into Russian:
Roman fortifacation
Norman Conquest
the plague of 1665
the Great Fire of 1666
Many people fled London during those years.
The city was rebuilt later.
2. Read as in the examples:
| • Example | 1665 sixteen sixty five |
| 1666 | 1997 | 1917 | 1941 | 1985 |
| • Example | 1580 sq. km. one thousand five hundred and eighty square kilometres |
| 1580 sq. m | 1520 sq. km. | 1510 km. | 1560m |
3. Choose the correct form of the verb:
London (was not built, did not build) as a city in the same way as many other cities.
First at this place a Roman fortification (built, was built).
Then a wall around the town (built, was built).
People (built, were built) outside the walls during a long period after the Norman Conquest.
This building (continued, was continued) over the years.
The city (was, has been) practically destroyed during the plague and the Great Fire in the seventeenth century.
The city (was, has been) rebuilt later.
4. Complete as in the text:
London was not built as a city in the same...
It began life as a Roman. . to cross the River Thames.
A wall was built around the town for.. but during the long period of peace which followed .. people built outside...
This building continued over .
In 1665. .. plague which killed ..
In 1666 the Great.. ended the plague but it also. .
Many people who had fled London during... returned to live in ...after.. Fire
But there were never again so many Londoners... centre.
5. Insert prepositions:
These days London has spread further outwards... the country.
Today the ... Greater London covers about 1580 square miles and the suburbs. London continue even... this area.
Some people even commute ... 100 miles every day to work ... London
6. Insert articles:
... gradual growth of ... city helps to explain ... fact that London does not have just one centre, it has.. number of centres
Each centre is with.. distinct character ...
Government centre is in Westminster ... shopping and entertainment centre is in ... West End ..
... financial and business centre is called . City.
7. Use the verbs in the right forms:
The City (to be) rather a small area east of the centre.
The City (to include) the site of the original Roman town.
It (to be) an area with a long and exciting history.
It (to be) proud of its independence and traditional role as a centre of trade and commerce.
The City of London (to be) one of the banking centers of the world.
Threadneedle Street (to be) famous for its numerous banks.
Here, too, the Bank of England (to locate}.
Nearby (to be) the Stock Exchange where shares of commercial companies (to buy and sell).
8. Match the names and their description:
| - description — описание | |
| Westminsterthe West End | the most famous insurance company in the world |
| the City Thieadneedle Stieet the Stock Exchange Lloyd's | the institution where shares of commercial companies are bought and sold in Londonthe financial and business centre of London |
| the London street where numerous banks are located | |
| the Government centre the shopping and entertaiment centre of London | |
9. Find the answers in the text:
Is the City a big area?
Is it located at the site of the Roman town?
Has it been traditionally a centre of trade and commerce?
Are the City gents involved in banking and business?
What 'uniform' do they wear?
Are there many banks in the City?
Is the Stock Exchange also located here?
What is Lloyd's?
10. Sum up what the text said about:
the history of London
the size of the present London
the City of London
its other centres
11. Make short dialogue as in the example:
| • Example | the text / too long — The text is too long, isn't it? — Yes, it is. / No, it isn't. |
| the text / very informative London / very old London / very big The City gents/ curious |
Разделительные вопросы
Disjunctive questions
Дополнения к правилам урока 38
Разделительные вопросы могут начинаться с отрицания и заканчиваться переспросом в утвердительной форме.
Например
The City is not very big, is it?
He didn't take a mini-cab, did he?
You haven't been to London, have you?
12. Make questions as in the examples:
| • Example | LondonYou haven't been to London, have you? |
| England New York the USA Paris France |
| • Example | London |
| London hasn't got a distinct | |
| character, has it? | |
| the City | |
| Westminster | |
| the West End | |
| Threadneedle Street | |
| New York | |
| Paris | |
| Moscow |
13. Role play.
Imagine you are speaking with an English businessman. Ask him a few questions about London and also show how much you know about it. Then he will ask you a few questions about your town. Answer these questions.
Text
One of the evenings Mr. Hill and a few participants decided to go to the cinema to see the film, the latest Oscar Award winner. Before the film was to start they had an hour at their disposal. And they decided to have a ride around London by Mr. Hill's car.
David: What would you like to see during this hour in London?
Anton: And what would you recommend?
David: We might have a ride through this entertainment area around Leicester Square and then through the Strand famous for its rich hotels. Then we could also drive to St Paul's Cathedral. It looks majestic in the evening lights.
Anton: We would be glad to see all that.
David: Then let's start the journey.
Anton: ... By the way, I know that when you were in Russia you hired a car and drove it a few days. Was it very difficult to drive on the right?
David: Oh, it was very difficult at first. It was necessary to concentrate... especially when I wanted to overtake. But the hardest were roundabouts. Well, you know, we Englishmen have always driven on the left and are accustomed to that.
Anton: Did you usuaully find the ways very easily?
David: I wouldn't say so. Once it was terrible. I was in a traffic jam for an hour and then I got lost. But finally everything was all right. I should let bygones be bygones.
Anton: I always wonder how fast your cars and buses go along these narrow streets. It is fantastic. You must be all very good drivers!
There are speed limits — 30 or 40 miles per hour in or near towns in England and 70mph on motorways. The driver must wear a seat belt and so must the front seat passenger. Two yellow lines on the load mean no parking. One yellow line means parking is restiicted. In some big towns the car may be clamped and towed away if it is parked illegally. It is very expensive to get the car back. All the rules and regulations on driving are fully described in The Highway Code.
Petrol stations or garages are often self-service. The driver can select 4 star (super), unleaded petrol or diesel from the automatic pump and pay the cashier. If the pump is not automatic there is an attendant to help.
Words and expressions
| to drive (drove, driven) | вести (машину), ехать | |
| to drive a car | вести машину | |
| film | диплом | |
| latest | последний | |
| award | [@'wþd] | награда, приз |
| to win (won, won) | выигрывать | |
| winner | победитель, призер | |
| Leicester Square | Лестер-Сквер Площадь в | |
| Лондоне, на которой и | ||
| вблизи которой находит | ||
| ся много театров, киноте | ||
| атров и ресторанов В | ||
| старину здесь часто уст | ||
| раивались дуэли. | ||
| through | [Trü] | через |
| the Strand | Стрэнд. Одна из главных | |
| улиц Лондона, соеди | ||
| няющая Уэст-Энд и Си | ||
| ти. в старину улица шла | ||
| вдоль Темзы. | ||
| cathedral | [k@'TIdr@] | собор |
| St Paul's Cathedral (=St. | Собор Св. Павла Глав | |
| Paul) | ный собор английской | |
| церкви Построен архи | ||
| тектором К. Реном в | ||
| 1657-1710 после Вели | ||
| кого лондонского пожара. | ||
| majestic | величественный | |
| to overtake | обгонять | |
| roundabouts | развязка (дорожная) | |
| accustomed | [@'köst@md] | привычный |
| to be accustomed to | привычный к чему-либо | |
| something | ||
| jam | пробка (автомобильная) | |
| syn traffic jam | ||
| to be in a traffic jam | попасть в пробку | |
| finally | наконец, в конце концов | |
| bygones | ['baIgons] | прошлый |
| Let bygones be bygones | Кто старое помянит, тому | |
| глаз вон | ||
| narrow | узкий | |
| speed | скорость | |
| speed limit | предел скорости | |
| front | передний | |
| to restrict | ограничивать | |
| to clamp | зажимать | |
| to tow away | отбуксировать | |
| illegal | незаконный | |
| illegally | незаконно | |
| to describe | описывать | |
| highway | шоссе | |
| code | код | |
| petrol | ['petr@] | бензин |
| petrol station | бензозаправочная станция | |
| syn garage | ||
| to select | выбирать, отбирать | |
| super | первоклассный | |
| lead | свинец | |
| unleaded | без свинца | |
| diesel | горючее | |
| automatic | [,þt@'m{tIk] | автоматический |
| pump | ПОСОЛ | |
| cashier | [k{'SI@] | кассир |
| attendant | служитель |
Exercises