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Sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge
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Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth like a garment wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky:
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendor, valley, rock or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at bis own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still! William Wordsworth
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (II)
Words
adjoin υ defeat υ jewel n architecture n dome n
mansion n armour n erect υ residence n avenue n
float υ seat n bury υ fortress n shady adj
change υ guard υ specimen n cathedral n huge adj
statesman n contain υ
Word Combinations
to live from hand to mouth to win the victory
to be lined with (trees, houses) at the cost of smb.'s life
to be found (in some place) at the top
a new housing development round the corner
to have (get, catch) a glimpse of to be famous for smth.
to have no time (money, etc.) left in present days
across the road (from some place) Why not do smth.?
to do the sights of smth. in memory of
to do the city (museums, parks, etc.) under the command
Proper Names
the Lenin Mausoleum Big Ben the East End Trafalgar Square
the Tower of London the Kremlin Julius Caesar the West End
William the Conqueror St. Basil's Cathedral Queen Elizabeth the Bell Tower
Christopher Wren of Ivan the Great Wellington
the History Museum Westminster Abbey the Spasskaya Tower
EXERCISES
I. Study Text A and explain the meaning of the words and phrases listed below:
mansion, to live from hand to mouth, miserable houses, to line the streets, dome, slums, to come first, the Crown Jewels, huge, statesman, across the road, the seat (of the government), at the cost of somebody's life, to face smth., shady avenues.
II. Learn the words of the texts and a) copy and transcribe these words:
mansion, restaurant, jewel, guard, halt, column, ton, sovereign, national, float, sculpture, swan, weigh, conqueror, specimen.
b) Translate into English and mark the stresses:
отель, церемония, Возрождение, Трафальгарская площадь, рукопись, проспект, архитектор, Елизавета, сенат.
c) Form derivatives of these verbs by adding the prefix re- (meaning "do smth. again"):
Example: build — rebuild
write, tell, construct, arm, elect, produce.
III. Answer the questions:
1. How do the two parts of London differ from each other? 2. Why is it better to start sightseeing from the Tower of London? 3. Who founded the Tower and when was it rebuilt? 4. What was the Tower of London used for? 5. What is the City? 6. What does the phrase "a place of interest" mean? 7. What do you know about St. Paul's Cathedral? 8. What is Whitehall and in which part of London is it situated? 9. What does the Ceremony of the Keys consist of? 10. What do you call the building in which the Houses of Parliament are situated? It is one building, why then do we say "The Houses of Parliament"? 11. What is Big Ben? 12. What kind of museum is the British Museum? 13. What do you know about Hyde Park?
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IV. Read the text and show all the places of interest mentioned there on the map:
Trafalgar Square is the natural centre of London. Could we but stand 168 feet (about 50 metres) above the traffic, beside the figure of the Admiral, we really could see all the great landmarks of London. Whitehall, which leads out of the square to the south, is the site of many Government offices including the Prime Minister's residence, Foreign Office, War Office; at the far end of Whitehall stand, beside the Thames, the Houses of Parliament with the Big Clock Tower, and Westminster Abbey; to the left Covent Garden fruit market and Covent Garden Opera House, and beyond the Bank of England; another slight turn left would enable your eye to fall on the British Museum; further left still we should see theatreland around Piccadilly Circus (it is not at all a circus but an open space of a circular form) and those expensive shopping promenades — Regent Street, Oxford Street, Bond Street; a little further, and into view would come Hyde Park in the distance, with, nearer, Buckingham Palace, and Royal Drive known as the Mall, which leads into Trafalgar Square.
V. Use Text В to practise similar conversations on Moscow.
VI. Read and retell:
A. The famous square mile of the City of London is administered as an independent unit, having its own Lord Mayor and Corporation and its own police force. It was here that the Romans built their walled town of Londinium, a few traces of which remain today, and it was here that the Medieval guilds established their headquarters. When after the Great Fire of 1666, the City was rebuilt, stone and brick replaced the many mainly wooden medieval houses and from that time the City gradually became a financial and commercial centre.
B. One of the special joys of London is the amount of space given over to parks, gardens, squares and open areas. They provide a welcome visual and physical break from the mass of buildings and the heavy traffic. Kew Gardens are famous Botanic Gardens on the banks of the Thames. The gardens and hothouses with rare flowers, trees and shrubs are well worth seeing. Within a stone's throw of Buckingham Palace are St. James's Park and Green Park. St. James's Park, the oldest in London, was created by Henry VIII and redesigned by his successors. Green Park, as its name suggests, mainly consists of lawns and trees.
(From Colourful London. Norwich, 1981)
VII. Make up short situations or dialogues, using tne following words and phrases:
1. why not..., let me see, to be found, across the road, to have no (time, money) left; 2. in present days, to live from hand to mouth; 3. under the command of, to be famous for, to defeat, to win the victory, at the cost of; 4. fortress, armour, in memory of, to contain; 5. swan, lined with trees, float, shady avenues, ancient.
VIII. Fill in prepositions:
Scotland Yard is the headquarters... the Metropolitan Police... London....most people, its name immediately brings... mind the picture... a detective — cool, collected, efficient, ready to track down any criminal.
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Scotland Yard is situated... the Thames Embankment close... the Houses... Parliament and the familiar clock tower... Big Ben. The name "Scotland Yard" originates... the plot... land adjoining Whitehall Palace where,... about the 14th century, the royalty and nobility... Scotland stayed when visiting the English Court. The popular nickname... the London policeman "bobby" is a tribute... Sir Robert Peel, who introduced the police force... 1829, and whose Christian name attached itself... members... the force.
IX. Review Text "Introducing London", texts A, B, Exercises IV, VI, VIII and study the map of London. Speak on the given topics:
1. London dominates British life. 2. The West End. 3. The East End. 4. The City. 5. The Tower. 6. The district of Westminster. 7. The British Parliament. 8. Whitehall and Fleet Street. 9. Trafalgar Square. 10. St. Paul's Cathedral. 11. The parks of London. 12. London museums. 13. London traffic. 14. Monuments in London.
X. Translate into English:
1. В самом центре Сити, напротив главного банка Англии, стоит статуя Веллингтона — знаменитого английского генерала и государственного деятеля XIX в. Под его командованием английские войска совместно со своими союзниками (allies) нанесли поражение армии Наполеона под Ватерлоо в 1815 г. Мост Ватерлоо, один из красивейших мостов через Темзу, был назван так в честь этой победы. 2. Мэлл (The Mall) — это широкий проспект, обсаженный деревьями, ведущий от Трафальгарской площади к Букингемскому дворцу — резиденции английских королей. Напротив дворца стоит огромный памятник со статуей Победы наверху. Этот памятник был воздвигнут в честь королевы Виктории, чье шестидесятичетырехлетнее царствование (reign) было самым продолжительным в истории (1837—1901). 3. Хайгейтское кладбище (Highgate Cemetery) известно тем, что там находится могила Карла Маркса. В 1956 году на деньги, присланные рабочими со всех концов света, там был воздвигнут памятник Карлу Марксу.
XI. Read Text С. Say what landmarks you would mention to a group of tourists standing in the middle of Red Square. Use the word combinations given below:
to witness, the heart of the city, the face of Red Square, the seat of the Administration of the President, to honour the memory, to stream to, public executions, the beating of the heart of our capital,
ХII. Act out a dialogue between a Russian tourist and a policeman. Choose the exact place (in Moscow or elsewhere) where you are having your talk and the place you want to get to. Use in your dialogue one or two phrases from each set given below:
1. Excuse me, I've lost my way...; I'm trying to go to...; Which is the right (best, shortest) way to...? Please show me the way to...; How do I get there? Am I on the right road? 2. How far is it? Is it possible to walk there? Is there a bus from here to...? Is it much of a walk? 3. Go right to the end of the street, then turn left, go two blocks straight ahead and then turn to...; Straight on and the second turning to the right...; You are going in the opposite direction. 4. What can I do for you? Now, where is it you want to go? It's a long distance off. It's a long (short) way to...; It's quite a distance from here. 5. Be careful, the traffic keeps to the left in this country; Look out; It isn't safe to cross here; Be sure not to cross the street (square, etc.); One can never be too careful; Wait for the break in the traffic; Don't cross the street when the traffic light has changed to red.
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