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Check your comprehension

1. What is St. Paul’s Cathedral? 2. Who designed this masterpiece of Renaissance?

3. How long did its construction last? 4. What do you know about Whispering Gallery?

TEXT 15

Read the following proper nouns correctly.

Admiral Wellington Arch ['xdmIrql 'welINtqn 'RC] – Арка адмирала Веллингтона

Mall [mLl] – улица Мол

Trooping the Colour ['trHpIN Dq 'kAlq] – торжественное построение

Royal Mews ['rPIl 'mjHz] – Королевские конюшни

State Coach ['steIt 'kouC] – Королевская карета

Read and translate the text.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE (1, 400)

Buckingham Palace was designed by Sir Aston Webb as a memorial to Queen Victoria. The central gate is usually closed as only the sovereign may pass through it.

Admiral Wellington Arch stands at the entrance to the Mall, which leads down to Buckingham Palace. On the square before the Palace one can enjoy the beautiful, white marble and gilded Queen Victoria Memorial. The Buckingham Palace flies the royal standard when the Queen is in residence.

Despite its sumptuous apartments containing generations of royal treasures not all its residents were happy. In his memoirs the Duke of Windsor wrote that the vast building “with its stately rooms and endless corridors and passages seemed pervaded by a curious, musty smell that still assails me whenever I enter its portals”.

Today the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have private suites in the North Wing, overlooking Green Park. Their home is open to about 30, 000 guests in summer, attending garden parties. The State Apartments, which contain many treasures, are now open to the public.

The gardens have a lake, cascading water and the wild life includes flamingoes. Buckingham Palace is working setting for the monarchy – with a large staff involved in different tasks from the household to organizing banquets for visiting head of state. From here the Queen leaves on ceremonial duties such as the State Opening of Parliament in early winter and here Trooping the Colour takes place to mark the Queen’s official birthday in June.

The Queen’s Gallery houses changing exhibitions taken from the Royal Collections. This is open to the public. So are the Royal Mews with the Queen’s horses, their trappings, the breathtaking State Coach and more modern royal carriages and cars.

Notes

1) the State Apartments – королевские комнаты;

2) the State Opening of Parliament – официальное открытие работы парламента.


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