UK test 4

1. The United Kingdom is a _________.

a) parliamentary republic b) monarchy c) constitutional monarchy

2. The head of the country is ________.

a) the president b) the king/queen c) the Prime Minister

3. The parliament consists of ________.

a) the House of Lords b) the House of Commons

c) the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

4. The flag of Great Britain is called ________.

a) the Union Jack b) the Jolly Roger c) the Symbol

5. The most famous traditional British dress is (a) ________.

a) jeans b) kilt c) hat

1. LONDON

When we think of Paris, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon and other European capitals, we think of them as 'cities'. When we think of the whole of modern London, the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, we do not think of it as 'a city', not even as a city and its suburbs. Modern London is not one city that has steadily become larger through the centuries; it is a number of cities, towns, and villages that have, during the past centuries, grown together to make one vast urban area.

London is situated upon both banks of the River Thames. It is the largest city in Britain and one of the largest in the world. Its population is over 7 million people and one more million travel each day to work. People who work in London and live in suburbs are called commuters. They commute by train or bus from the suburbs because buying a house or a flat near the centre is very expensive.

London is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city. Every seventh Londoner was born outside Britain. London dominates the life of Britain. It is a big port and the most important commercial, manufacturing and cultural centre.

The City extends over an area of about 2.6 square kilometres in the heart of London. About half a million people work in the City but only less than 6000 live here. It is the financial centre of the UK with many banks, offices and the Stock Exchange. But the City is also a market for goods of almost every kind, from all parts of the world.

The West End can be called the centre of London. Here are the historical palaces as well as the famous parks. Hyde Park with its Speaker's Corner is also here. Among other parks are Kensington Gardens, St. James's Park. In the West End is Buckingham Palace which is the Queen's residence, and the Palace of Westminster which is the seat of Parliament. The best-known streets here are Whitehall with important government offices, Downing Street, the London residence of the Prime Minister and the place where the Cabinet meets, Fleet Street where most newspapers had their offices until 1980s, Harley Street where the highest-paid doctors live, and some others. The name 'West End' came to be associated with wealth, luxury, and goods of high quality. It is the area of the largest department stores, cinemas and hotels, many museums including the British Museum, and the best art galleries. It is in the West End that the University of London is centred with Bloomsbury as London's student quarters. Visitors with plenty of money to spend and who come chiefly for enjoyment are likely to pass most of their time in the West End.

The port of London is to the east of the City. Here were kilometres and kilometres of docks, and the great industrial areas that depended upon shipping. This is the East End of London, formerly unattractive in appearance, but now changing because of the introduction of new industries and very expensive housing. The docks were closed and part of the old port in East London has been converted into a business and residential area called Docklands. The Millennium Dome, a very large structure with a round roof for exhibitions, was built to celebrate the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.

The most spectacular addition to the London landscape is the British Airways London Eye. This observation wheel offers wonderful views of London.

5.1 Match the names of London sights to their definitions below.

Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, Downing Street, the City, Whitehall, Speaker's Corner, the Millennium Dome, Fleet Street, the Palace of Westminster.

1 – исторический центр Лондона; один из крупнейших финансовых и коммерческих центров мира.

2 – “Уголок оратора“ (место в Гайд-парке, где по воскресеньям и субботам с импровизированной трибуны выступают ораторы на различные темы; в настоящее время превратился в одну из туристических достопримечательностей Лондона).

3 – главная королевская резиденция в Лондоне.

4 – официальное название английского парламента.

5 – улица в центральной части Лондона, на которой нахо­дят­ся некоторые важнейшие министерства и другие правительст­венные учреждения.

6 – небольшая улица в центральной части Лондона, на которой в доме №10 находится лондонская резиденция премьер-министра.

7 – улица в Лондоне, на которой до 1980 г. находились редакции многих крупнейших газет. В настоящее время большинство из них переехало в другие районы города.

8 – один из крупнейших музеев мира; находится в Лондоне.

9 – " Купол тысячелетия" – величественное сооружение с куполообразной крышей, построенное в 1999 г. на берегу Темзы в честь окончания XX и наступления XXI века и предназначенное для проведения выставок и других массовых мероприятий.