Тема / Топик по английскому языку:
London

London is the capital of the United Kingdom, its economic, political and cultural centre. It is one of the world’s most important ports and one of the largest cities in the world. London with its suburbs has a population of about 11 million people.

London has been a capital for nearly a thousand years. Many of its ancient buildings still stand. The most famous of them are the Tower of London, where the crown jewels are kept, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Most visitors also want to see the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace (the Queen’s home with its Changing of the Guards) and the many magnificent museums.

Once London was a small Roman town on the north bank of the Thames. Slowly it grew into one of the world’s major cities.

Different areas of London seem like different cities. The West End is a rich man’s world of shops, offices and theatres. The City of London is the district where most offices and banks are concentrated; the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England are here, too. The East End is the district where mostly working people live. The old port area is now called «Docklands». There are now new office buildings in Docklands, and thousands of new flats and houses.

By the day the whole of London is busy. At night, offices are quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas. In nearby Soho the pubs, restaurants and night clubs are busy half the night.

Like all big cities, London has streets and concrete buildings, but it also has many big parks, full of trees, flowers and grass. In the middle of Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens you will think that you are in the country, miles away.

Many people live outside the centre of London in the suburbs, and they travel to work in shops and offices by train, bus or underground («The Tube»).

Topical Vocabulary

- an economic, political and cultural centre
экономический, политический и культурный центр
a suburb
пригород
to have a population of
иметь население (количество)
- an ancient building
древнее здание
the crown jewels
королевские драгоценности
Changing of the Guards
смена караула
a magnificent museum
великолепный музей
- a Roman town
римский город
on the north bank of the Thames
на северном берегу Темзы
one of the world’s major cities
один из крупнейших городов мира
- an area of
район чего-либо
a rich man’s world of shops, offices and theatres
мир богатых - мир магазинов, офисов и театров
a district
район (города)
to be concentrated
быть сконцентрированным
the Royal Exchange
Лондонская биржа
the Bank of England
Банк Англии
working people
рабочий класс
a port area
портовый район
- to be quiet and empty
быть тихим и пустынным
to stay alive
зд.: быть оживленным
to come to enjoy oneself
приходить отдыхать, развлекаться
an opera house
оперный театр
nearby
близлежащий
a pub
кабачок, пивная
a restaurant
ресторан
a night club
ночной клуб
- a concrete building
бетонное здание
to be full of trees, flowers and grass
быть полным деревьев, цветов и травы
- to live outside the centre
жить вне центра
to travel to work by train, bus or underground
ездить на работу на поезде, автобусе или метро

Answer the questions:

  1. What part does London play in the life of the United Kingdom?
  2. What are the most famous ancient buildings of London?
  3. What are different districts of London famous for?
  4. Why do some districts of London stay alive at night?
  5. What has London except concrete buildings?
  6. Where do many people live?

Translate into English:

  1. Лондон - экономический, политический и культурный центр, один из крупнейших портов страны и один из крупнейших городов в мире.
  2. Самые знаменитые древние здания - Лондонский Тауер, Вестминстерское аббатство, собор Святого Павла, Парламент, Букингемский дворец.
  3. Лондон был небольшим римским городом.
  4. Вест-Энд - район магазинов, офисов и театров, район богатых людей.
  5. В Сити сконцентрированы банки, офисы, в том числе Лондонская биржа и Банк Англии.
  6. В Ист-Энде живут рабочие.
  7. В Докланде, бывшем районе портов, сейчас много новых офисов.
  8. В Вест-Энд лондонцы приезжают развлекаться.
  9. В соседнем Сохо жизнь идет и ночью.