MONTREAL

LONDON

This is a map of Europe. England is in Europe. England is on the East side of the Atlantic Ocean.

This is a plan of London. London is in England. Nearly nine million people live in London. It is a large city on both sides of the Thames. The Thames is a river in England. The river Thames is very wide. Bridges connect the two parts of the city. The large building with towers is the houses of Parliament. The building is near the Thames. It is on the right-hand side of the river, near the bridge. They call it Westminster Bridge. We see a large clock near the top of the tower on the left. They call it Big Ben.

The white building with two square towers in front of the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Abbey. At the other end of Westminster Bridge, on the left-hand side, we see a big square building with a curved front. On the right-hand side we see six or seven square buildings. They are a large hospital.

 

OXFORD

Oxford is like London: it is international, it is very old and it has great charm. It is also a town that grew up near the river Thames.

Oxford is international because people from many parts of the world come to study at its university. They come to study at one of the twenty-seven men’s colleges or at one of the five women’s colleges that are the university: they join the university “family” that has more than 9,000 members.

Oxford is old and historical. It has existed since 912. The university was established in 1249. The oldest of the twenty-seven men’s colleges is University College.

You can see the charm of Oxford in the green fields and parks which surround the city and you can see it in the lawns and gardens which surround the colleges. You can see the charm of Oxford in the river Thames and its streams which pass near the city.

Do you know that the name Oxford means the part of the river Thames where the oxen (cattle) forded (crossed)?

 

MONTREAL

Montreal is the biggest French-speaking city in the world after Paris. No one admits it publicly but probably every city in Canada is jealous of Montreal. The city is world-famous.

Its subway system is so handsome that it’s been called the longest underground art gallery in the world. Most of all they envy the city’s zest of life.

Even the food is as famous. Gourmet cooking is very interesting. French cuisine is the best of all, of course, but Chinese, Jewish, Spanish, Italian and English restaurants offer their dishes with the same care and pride.

the best of Montreal’s restaurants aren’t cheap. But if you can’t afford to spend too much on food, check the menu and the price list which is posted outside every restaurant.