4 Текст для чтения. 9-11 классы

Read and translate the texts about London and its traffic. Write the annotations to them in Russian.

LONDON

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and com- mercial centre. It's one of the largest, oldest and most interesting cities in the world. Its population is about 8 million.

Traditionally it's divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End, and the East End. They are very different from each other and seem to belong to different towns.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange, and the Old Bailey. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. There are some famous ancient buildings within the City. Perhaps the most striking of them is St Paul's Cathedral, the greatest of British churches. It was built in the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren. The Tower of London was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it's a museum.

Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London. Westmin- ster Abbey has more historic associations than any other building in Britain. Nearly all English kings and queens have been crowned here. It is a place of burying of many outstanding statesmen, scientists, writers, poets, and painters.

Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament is famous for its big bell, known as "Big Ben".

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It's the symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs, and theatres are situated there. There are splendid houses and lovely gardens be- longing to wealthy people.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It was named in memory of Admiral Nelson's victory in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelson's Column stands in the middle of the square.

On the north side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery and the Na- tional Portrait Gallery. Not far away there is the British Museum – the biggest museum in London. It contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures, etc., and is famous for its library.

The East End was once the poorest district of London with lots of facto- ries and docks, narrow streets and unimpressive buildings. Today the district is changing very fast. There are huge offices and new blocks of flats in the East End.

Names:

Big Ben – "Биг Бен", "Большой Бен" (колокол часов-курантов на здании парламента, бой которых звучит ежедневно как сигнал точного времени)

Buckingham Palace [`bækiŋgəm `pælis] – Букингемский    дворец

(главная королевская резиденция в Лондоне) Julius Caesar [`dju:liəs 'si:zə] – Юлий Цезарь

Nelson's Column [`nelsnz 'koləm] – колонна Нельсона (памятник адмиралу Нельсону)

St. Paul's Cathedral [,sənt `po:lz ka'θi:drəl] – собор Св. Павла (главный собор англиканской церкви)

Sir Christopher Wren [sə: `kristəfə `rеn] – Кристофер Рен Trafalgar Square [,tra`fælgə 'skweə] – Трафальгарская площадь the Bank of England – Английский банк

the Stock Exchange [ik`st∫eind3] – Лондонская фондовая биржа

the Old Bailey [ði `əuld `beili] – Центральный уголовный суд, находящийся в Олд-Бейли

the Tower of London [ðə `tauə əv `lΛndən ] – Лондонский Тауэр

the National Gallery [ðə `næ∫ənl 'gæləri] – Национальная галерея

(крупнейшее в Великобритании собрание картин)

the National Portrait [`po:trit] Gallery – Национальная портретная галерея

the British Museum [mju`siəm] – Британский музей

William the Conqueror [`wiljəm ðə `koŋkərə] – Вильгельм Завоеватель

(первый король из норманнов в Англии)

Westminster Abbey [`westminstə `æbi] – Вестминстерское аббатство

Westminster Palace [`westminstə 'pælis] (the Houses of Parliament [`hau- ziz əv `pa:ləmənt]) – Вестминстерский дворец (здание английского парламента)

Vocabulary:

ancient ['ein ∫ənt] – древний church [t∫ə:t∫] – церковь commercial [kə`mə:∫əl] – торговый column ['koləm] – колонна

financial [fai'næn∫əl] – финансовый

fortress ['fo:tris] – крепость huge [hju:d3] – огромный in memory of – в память о

luxury ['la:k∫əri] – роскошь

manuscript ['mænjuskript] – рукопись numerous ['nju:m(ə)rəs] – многочисленный outstanding [aut`stændiŋ] – выдающийся painter ['peintə] – художник

prison ['prizn] – тюрьма

priceless ['praislis] – бесценный

royal palace ['rəujəl `pælis] – королевский дворец statesman ['steitsmən] – государственный деятель striking ['straikiŋ] – поразительный, замечательный splendid ['splendid] – великолепный

to crown [kraun] – короновать

to bury ['beri] – хоронить, place of burying – место захоронения

to contain [kən'tein] – содержать

to be famous [`feiməs] for – быть знаменитым чем-л. to found [faund] – основывать

to rebuild [,ri:'bild] – перестраивать

unimpressive [,Λnim'presiv] – невпечатляющий, невыразительный

wealth [welθ] – богатство, wealthy – богатый