Text 6. London is the capital of the UK

 

London is the capital of the United Kingdom, its economic, political and cultural center. 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, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral. Most visitors also want to see the Houses of Parliament and the many magnificent museums.

Once London was a small Roman town of 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 a 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 and restaurants and nightclubs are busy half the night.

Museums and art galleries of London

London is very rich in museums and art galleries. If you are fond of painting you'll go to the Tate Gallery. A rich sugar manufacturer Henry Tate founded it in 1897. Most of his paintings are connected with the sea theme. There are a lot of paintings by the 16-th century English artists and paintings by foreign artists of the 19-20-th centuries. There are some paintings by impressionists there. You can see works by modern painters: Pablo Picasso among them. There are many interesting sculptures there. Henry Moor's can be seen there. He was a famous British sculptor. The National Gallery is one of the most important picture galleries in the world. The Tate Gallery is the most necessary compliment to the National Gallery as it contains contemporary works particularly by English and French masters. The British Museum is the largest and richest of its kind in the world. It comprises the national museum of archaeology and ethnography and the national library. The present building was built in 1852. By law a copy of every book, periodical and newspaper, published in Britain must be presented in the British museum. It contains books and manuscripts: Greek, Roman, British and Oriental antiques. It has a department of Ethnography. This collection is so vast that only a very small percentage of it is on show to the public. Cultural life of London would be impossible without the Royal Albert hall, the Royal Festival hall, the National theatre and a great number of museums: the Victoria and Albert museum, the Geological Museum, the Museum of Mankind, Natural history museum and others.

 

TASKS

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. Is London the capital of the United Kingdom, its economic, political and cultural center?

2. What population has London with its suburbs?

3. What are the most famous buildings in London?

4. How many parts is London consists of?

5. What museums and art galleries in London do you know?

 

TRUE OR FALSE

1. London has been a capital for nearly a thousand years.

2. Once London was a small Greek town of the west bank of the Thames.

3. A rich sugar manufacturer Henry Tate founded British Museum in 1897.

4. The National Gallery is one of the most important picture galleries in the world.

5. Tate Gallery is the most necessary compliment to the National Gallery as it contains contemporary works particularly by German and Russian masters.

6. The British Museum is the largest and richest of its kind in the world.

 

SPEAKING

Tell your groupmates about London everything you know.

Text 7. DAVID BECKHAM

David Robert Joseph Beckham was born in London on May 2^nd 1974. He plays football for Manchester United and is captain of both Manchester and England. Fans love Beck-ham and call him the "Golden Boy of English Football". He is also famous for his hairstyles which change very often.

Beckham is married to Victoria Adams one of the Spice Girls. They have two sons, Brooklyn and Romeo, and they are favourite stars of the British press. The Beck-hams live in Cheshire, not too far away from Manchester United's home ground.

David will be playing for Real Madrid. He left Manchester United and agreed a new four-year contract.

 

 

TASKS

MATCH THE WORDS

1. be born 2. to play football 3. captain 4. famous 5. fan 6. favourite 7. hairstyle 8. home ground 9. married 11. star 12. to agree a contract

a) звезда b) пресса c) родиться d) прическа e) играть в футбол f) известный g) стадион спортивного клуба h) подписать контракт i) капитан j) фанат, болельщик к) женатый

 

TRUE OR FALSE

1. David Beckham plays for Manchester United.

2. Football fans don't like him.

3. There are often stories about the Beckhams in the newspapers.

4. The Beckhams live a long way from Manchester.

 

FILL IN THE GAPS

1. David Robert Joseph Beckham was born in ... .

2. He plays ....

3. Fans call him the "... ".

4. Beckham ... to Victoria Adams.

5. They have ... sons.

 

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. What is he also famous for?

2. Who is his wife?

3. Where do they live?

 

NOTES

Когда вы хотите сказать дату своего рождения, скажите: I was born...- Я родился (лась)... или о дате рождения своих близких и знакомых: Hе / She was born... - Он / Она родился (лась)... Если вы родились в мае, как Бэкхем, скажите: I was born in May.

Год 1974 по-английски читается: nineteen seventy-four, четырехзначное число делим на две части. Год 1999 читается: nineteen ninety-nine.

 

GRAMMAR

Translate from Russian into English using your active vocabulary:

Дэйвид Бэкхем родился 2 мая 1974 года в Лондоне. Он - один из самых известных футболистов в мире. Болельщики называют его «золотым мальчиком английского футбола». Он женат на звезде - популярной певице Виктории Адаме. Дэйвид любит своих детей, которых на сегодняшний момент трое.

Text 8. THE BEATLES

 

The Beatles were the most famous pop group of the 1960s. Their music was not only popular in Britain, but all over the world. Members of the band were John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartney. They were working-class boys from Liverpool. Some well-known songs by the Beatles are "Yesterday ", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" and "Michelle Ma Belle". They also starred in two films, "A Hard Day's Night" in 1964 and "Help!" in 1965.

Paul McCartney who used to sing and play bass for the Beatles, established his own group called Wings, which played for ten years. In 1991 he also wrote his first piece of classical music called the Liverpool Oratorio.

Paul's daughter Stella is a top British fashion designer.

John Lennon learnt to play harmonica at the age of 12 but he wanted to be a millionaire not a musician. He met Paul McCartney in 1955 and they started the Beatles in 1960.

John Lennon was shot in New York outside his own house on December 8, 1980. George Harrison died on November 29, 2001, at the age of 58.

TASKS

MATCH THE WORDS

1. famous 2. popular 3. group, band 4. working-class boy 5. to star 6. to play bass 7. to establish 8. a piece of music 9. fashion designer 10. to play harmonica 11. millionaire 12. musician 13. to start a group 14. to be shot

а) музыкант b) модельер с) исполнять главную роль d) утверждать е) известный f) группа g) миллионер h) быть застреленным i) популярный j) образовать группу k) мальчик из рабочего класса l)часть музыки m) играть на бас гитаре n) играть на гармошке

 

TRUE OR FALSE

1. The Beatles were not very popular in 1960.

2. They were middle-class boys from Liverpool.

3. They didn't sing only, they also starred in two films, "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help".

4. Paul McCartney wrote classical music called the Liverpool Oratorio.

5. John Lennon's daughter Stella is a top British fashion designer.

6. John Lennon played the piano at the age of 12.

7. John Lennon was shot in London.

 

FILL IN THE GAPS

1. The Beatles were the most... pop group of the 1960s.

2. Members of the ... were John Lennon, Ringo Star, George Harrison and Paul McCartney.

3. They ... in two films.

4. Paul McCartney played ... for the Beatles.

5. John Lennon learnt to play ... when he was 12 years old.

6. He wanted to be a ... not a ....

 

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. What were the two films connected with the Beatles?

2. What was the name of Paul’s second band?

3. What does Paul's daughter Stella do?

4. When did they start the Beatles?

5. When did John die?

 

NOTES

Some people say: "Don't talk too much about the Beatles ... talk about your new album". But I don't mind.

Paul McCartney Quoted by Irwin Stambler in The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock, and Soul 1989

 

 

SPEAKING

Work with a partner for this activity. Try to use some of the words and phrases from this lesson. One of you is A and the other В. В chooses a famous person and A then interviews В to find more information about the person В has chosen.

Text 9.The USA

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China), It occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a sea-boarder with Russia.

The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia, a special federal area where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is about 250 million.

If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley which is located in Alaska.

America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.

The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part is continental. The south has a subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much wanner than that of the Atlantic coast.

The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It is the world's leading producer of copper and oil and the world's second producer of iron ore and coal. Among the most important manufacturing industries are aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, armaments, furniture and paper.

Though mainly European and African in origin, Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations, including Chinese and native Americans.

The largest cities are: New York, Las Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San-Francisco, Washington and others.

The United States is a federal union of 50 states, each of which has its own govern­ment. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, DC. According to the US Constitution the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive, headed by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress, and the judicial. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic.

TASKS

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. Where is The United States of America situated?

2. What is the total area of the country?

3. How many states is The USA made up?

4. Has the USA mountains?

5. What are America's largest rivers?

6. What can you say about the climate of the country?

7. Is the USA a highly developed industrial country?

8. What are two main political parties in the USA?

TRUE OR FALSE

1. The United States of America is the largest country in the world.

2. The United States of America also has a sea-boarder with China.

3. The highest peak is Mount McKinley which is located in NEW YORK.

4. The coldest regions are in the north.

5. Among the most important manufacturing industries are aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, armaments, furniture and paper.

6. The seat of the central (federal) government is California.

 

SPEAKING

Tell your groupmates about The United States of America everything you know.

Text 10. NEW YORK

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

There is no city quite like New York. It is known as 'The City that never sleeps' and is the biggest commercial and cultural centre in the world. Over eight million people live in New York. Manhattan - the heart of the city - is the only one of the five boroughs in this great metropolis.

SIGHTSEEING

There are thousands of things to do and places to visit for tourists. The most famous landmark must be The Statue of Liberty - a symbol of freedom. The Empire State Building, built in 1931 has a viewing floor at the top. On a clear day you can take spectacular photographs of the city from here, but it is especially magical at night.

Sports fans can watch the world famous Mets and Yankees play baseball, the Knickerbockers play basketball and the Rangers play ice-hockey.

You can relax in Central Park, which is larger than Monaco! New York really does have something for everyone.

 

TASKS

MATCH THE WORDS

1.	borough	а)впечатляющие фотографии
2.	metropolis	b) вершина
3.	commercial	с) ориентир
4.	cultural	d) известный во всем мире
5.	freedom	е) район
6.	landmark	f) культурный
7.	sightseeing	g) метрополия
8.	viewing floor	h) играть в хоккей (бейсбол)
9.	top	i) достопримечательность
10.	spectacular photograph	j) коммерческий
11.	world famous	к) обозрение
12.	to play ice-hockey (baseball)	1) свобода

 

TRUE OR FALSE

1. New York is a 24-hour city.

2. New York has four boroughs.

3. Mets and Yankees are baseball teams.

4. There are many attractions for tourists in New York.

FILL IN THE GAPS

1. New York is the biggest ... and ... centre.

2. Over ... million people live there.

3. There are thousands of... to do and places to ... for tourists.

4. The Empire State Building was built in ....

5. It is especially magical ....

6. ... can watch the world famous Mets and Yankees play baseball.

7. Central Park is ... than Monaco.

 

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. What is the heart of the city?

What is the most famous landmark?

What does it mean?

 

GRAMMAR

Put these sentences into the correct tense.

1. Where......................................(you born)?

2. I...............................(fly) to Hong Kong tomorrow.

3. What................................(you do) this weekend?

4. It was the first time I.............................(go) to the theatre.

5. I winder who..................(make) more money - Michael Jackson or Ma­donna?

6. Madonna.......................(produce) some great records recently.

7. This time last week I...........................(be) in New York.

 

Text 11. CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA

When people think about California, they imagine the sand, surf, and sun-tanned bodies. However, the 31st state of the USA offers much more than this. It is said that it is easy to become a millionaire there. Some people believe that the American dream comes true in California.

GEOGRAPHY

California is a big state. From north to south it measures about 800 miles and from east to west approximately 250 miles, making it the third largest state in the U.S. Cali­fornia's landscape is very varied.

CULTURE

California is the home of Hollywood and therefore many of America's most glamorous actors and actresses live there. However, there is more than this, as it is also the centre of west coast music which has inspired many artists and bands such as The Doors and ICE T.

For those more interested in sightseeing there are many famous places to visit. One of them is San Francisco with its Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Prison, and Los Angeles, with Hollywood, Venice Beach and Beverly Hills. Sports lovers can watch baseball, American football and basketball with teams like the LA Lakers, the Dodgers and the Rams. Moreover, you can ski all year round. If we put all this into the cultural melting-pot that is California you really have a dish worth tasting.

TASKS

MATCH THE WORDS

1. sand 2. surf 3. sun-tanned 4. millionaire 5. to come true 6. (to) measure 7. landscape 8. varied 9. glamorous 10. inspired 11. sightseeing 12. bridge 13. prison 14. beach 15. melting-pot 16. worth doing

a) ландшафт b) стоит сделать что-либо c) пляж d) песок e) котел f) тюрьма g) блестящий h) загорелый i) мост j) миллионер k) морская пена l) разнообразный m) сбываться n) вдохновленный о) мерить р) достопримечательность

 

TRUE OR FALSE

1. California is the 13^th state of the USA.

2. It is difficult to become a millionaire there.

3. California is a big state.

4. California's landscape is very varied.

5. It is famous for glamorous actors and actresses.

6. Hollywood is situated there.

7. There are many sightseeings in California.

FILL IN THE GAPS

1. It is the ... state of the USA.

2. From north to south it measures about ... miles.

3. California is the centre of... .

4. There are many famous places to visit such as: ....

5. Sports lovers can watch ..., ... and ....

6. You can ... all year round.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. What is San Francisco famous for?

2. What are the main tourist attractions in California?

3 Is Hollywood in California?

 

NOTES

В тексте мы встретили названия сторон света:

the north - север.

the south - юг,

the west — запад,

the east - восток.

Существуют также следующие выражения: the north-east, the north-west, the south-east, the south-west.

Если вы хотите сказать: на севере, на юге, на западе, на востоке, следует употреблять следующие выражения: in the north, in the south, in the west, in the east.

Northern, southern, eastern, western - это имена прилагательные, образован­ные от названии сторон света: северный, южный, западный и восточный.

 

SPEAKING

Would you prefer to visit San Francisco or Los Angeles?