SIGHTSEEING

— Is it possible to see anything of London in one or two days?
— Well, yes, but, of course, not half enough.
— What do you think I ought to see first?
— Well, if you are interested in churches and historic places you should go to Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, St. Paul's and the Tower. Do you like art galleries?
— Rather!
— Then why not go to the National Gallery and the Tate?
— I'm told one ought to see the British Museum. Do you think I shall have time for that?
— Well, you might, but if I were you, I should leave that for some other day. You could spend a whole day there. It's much too big to be seen in an hour or so.
— I suppose it is. What about going to the Zoo?
— That's not a bad idea. You could spend a couple of hours there comfortably, or even a whole afternoon, watching the wild animals, birds and reptiles. You could have tea there too.

— I'll do that, then. How do I get there?
— Let me see. I think your best way from here is to walk across Regent's park.
— Is it much of a walk?
— Oh, no, a quarter of an hour or so, but, if you are in a hurry, why not take a taxi?
— I think I will. Ah, here's one coming. Taxi! The Zoo, please.
(From "The Linguaphone English Course")

DRUIDS

Words to remember: pagan gods (языческие боги), human sacrifices (человеческие жертвоприношения), a sacred place (священное место), to foretell the future (предсказывать будущее), innocent victim (невинная жертва), principles of conduct (принципы поведения).

The Celtic priests were called druids. In Celtic the meaning of this word is "Knowing [or Finding] the Oak Tree". The druids lived near groves of oak-trees, which were considered to be sacred places. In the early period, Druidic rites were held in clearings in the forest.

The Druids were members of the learned class among the ancient Celts. The earliest known records of the Druids come from the 3rd century BC.

The druids were sometimes even more powerful than the chiefs. The Celts believed in their magic power, they believed the druids could foretell the future and they were often called upon to settle disputes. The druids could give orders to begin a battle or to put down arms and stop fighting.

The druids were the teachers of morality as well as of religion. They were also the men of science and learning of their age. Three classes of Druids existed: prophets, bards, and priests. They combined the functions of the priest, the scholar, the physician. Their teaching was oral and their literature (if such a word may be used in this case) was preserved solely by tradition. Their history consisted in traditional tales in which the heroic deeds of their forefathers were celebrated. Once a year the Druids assembled at a sacred place in the territory of the Carnutes, which was believed to be the centre of all Gaul (situated not far from Paris, in France).

The druids taught the existence of one god, to whom they gave a name “Be’al” which means “the life of everything” or “the source of all beings”. They believed in another life after death, they thought that the soul was immortal and passed at death into the body of a new child. The Druids offered human sacrifices for those who were gravely sick or in danger of death in battle. Though the Druids preferred to sacrifice criminals, they would choose innocent victims if necessary.

Archaeologists believe that the Druids used dolmens (a group of upright stones supporting a large flat piece of stone, built in ancient times in Britain and France) as burial chambers in their religious rites. Dolmens are particularly numerous in Ireland and Wales and in the English counties of Devon and Cornwall; in northwest France, especially in Bretagne; and in Spain. They are also found in northern Africa, in Syria, and in other countries ranging as far east as Japan.