London.

London is not only the capital of England, it is also the capital city of the United Kingdom and the commercial, financial and political centre of a once vast empire. The river Thames crosses it from south to north and then eastward to the North Sea. London is the tenth largest city in the world with about 7 million inhabitant s.

The oldest part, now the business and banking centre, is called the City. The City is the only really ancient part of London. Though after the Great Fire of 1666 and the bombing of the Second World War the area was almost completely rebuilt, though the shape of the streets and the place names of the City still speak of Old London. The natives of this part of town are called Cockneys. The contrast is great between two famous areas, the West End and the East End. In medieval times rich and noble families lived only in the City, but gradually they moved west, to the area which became known as the “West End”. It still has many expensive houses and shops. On the other hand, people went to the East End to find work on ships and in the docks. Now the East End has become an area of small industries and housing, with many high-rise tower block developments.

Tower Bridge is the gateway to London from the sea. It is the most famous of London bridges and the only Thames bridge which can be raise d. It was built at the end of the 19^th century by the Tower, the Norman castle. Completed in 1894, this bridge became the symbol of London. There are exhibitions inside the bridge on its history. The lift takes you to the North Tower to see the machinery or to the South Tower where you can find out about the history of the Thames bridges.

There is much more of London’s history in the Tower than anywhere else. It is the oldest surviving building in London. It used to serve as a fortress, a royal palace, a prison, a treasury, a mint, an arsenal, an observatory and a royal zoo. Nowadays the Tower houses unique collections of arms, armour, instruments of torture and the Crown Jewels. The Tower’s most celebrated resident s are a colony of 8 raven s. There is a legend that should they desert the Tower, the Kingdom will fall.

Piccadilly Circus is the meeting point of six main streets. One side of the Circus has been dominated by electrically illuminated advertisement s. There are many places of interest in the vicinity, for example the Rock Circus, a rock music museum where you can listen to music and see wax reproductions of rock stars. In the middle of the Circus there is a famous statue of Eros. It was intend ed to represent the Angel of Christian charity, not the God of Love. A colourful and international crowd of young people gather around this fountain.

St Paul’s Cathedral is the cathedral сhurch of London. It was built by Sir Christopher Wren. Its dome is the second largest in the world after St Peter’s in Rome. On the ground plan St Paul’s Cathedral is in the shape of a Latin cross. The “whispering gallery” at the base of the dome is so called because a whisper can be heard from one side to the other. Throughout the church there are monuments to national heroes, some of them, including Wren are buried in the crypt. Near St Paul’s Cathedral, a 61m high column, simply called The Monument, marks the spot where the Great Fire started.

Westminster Abbey is known to the British as the Abbey. It attracts 5 to 6 million visitors each year. All the kings and queens of England since William the Conqueror have been crowned here. Famous people kings, statements, poets, scientists, artists and musicians are buried or remembered by a monument in the church. They are Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, John Milton, Robert Burns, Charles Dickens. An Unknown Warrior, commemorating all the nation’s dead of all ranks and services, is also buried here.

Trafalgar Square lies north of the river Thames, not far from Westminster and Buckingham Palace. Maybe it is оne of the most famous squares in London. It commemorate s Admiral Nelson’s victory over the French at Trafalgar in 1805. Its main landmark is Nelson’s column. Behind the Column is the National Gallery, one of the most important art galleries in the world. In the north east here you can see the church of St.Martin-in-the-Fields, a real architectural masterpiece. The Gallery houses a collection of over 2,000 paintings from Italy, Flanders, Holland, France, Great Britain, etc., ranging from the 13^th to the early 20^th century. Access to the Gallery is free to the public, like in all state museums in Britain.

Situation 1. Speak about London and mention:

· Its role in the country and in the world

· The City

· The West End

· The East End

Situation 2. Speak about London and mention:

· The history of Tower Bridge

· Tower Bridge as a place of interest

· The history of the Tower

· What one can see in the Tower nowadays

Situation 3. Speak about London and express your opinion why you’d like to see:

· Piccadilly Circus

· Trafalgar Square

· Nelson’s Column

· The National Gallery

Situation 4. Speak about London and say why you’d like to see:

· St. Paul’s Cathedral

· Its Whispering Gallery

· Westmister Abbey

· Its Poets’ Corner