Places to visit

One can visit many interesting places in London. In London you are never far from the River Thames. Tourists go on boat trips on the river. One of the best trips is from Tower Bridge to Westminster. Tower Bridge is near the Tower of London. Across the river from London Bridge is the City of London, the financial district of the capital. The City has its own historic delights such as the 15^th century Guildhall and churches designed by Sir Christopher Wren.

Much of London’s energy and originality is now centered in Soho, the city’s liveliest and most bohemian area, squeezed in between the department stores of Oxford Street and the bookshops of Charing Cross Road. On the South Bank there are some fine, modern buildings: the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre, The Museum of Moving Image and many art galleries.

The Houses of Parliament are in Westminster. They are the centre of the British government. There are also a great variety of art galleries, churches museums, palaces and parks in the capital of Great Britain.

WORDLIST

impression – впечатление

double-decker buses – двухэтажные автобусы (дабл-декеры)

to offer – предлагать

AD – наша эра

trip – поездка

delights – восхитительные достопримечательности

lively – живой, оживленный

bohemian – элитный, богемный

Answer the questions.

1. When did the Romans come to England?

2. What was the name of London in AD 43?

3. What is the City of London?

4. What is the most bohemian area of London?

5. Where is the British government situated?

6. Can you name some famous London buildings?

Sum up what the text says about the city.

GLASGOW

(the capital of Scotland)

Read and translate the text. Say which facts given in the text were known to you.

Glasgow is a city in southwest Scotland. It lies on both sides of the River Clyde. Glasgow is Scotland’s main industrial and shipbuilding centre and the third largest city in the United Kingdom.

The Celts

Glasgow’s history stretches back a long way. There were probably fishing communities living along the banks of the Clyde as early as the Stone Age. During the early years of the first century AD Celtic tribes, with druids as priests, lived in the area. Glasgow’s name is derived from the Celtic gleschu, which meant ‘dear green spot’ (дорогой, зелёный уголок).