Complete the table with the geographical names using information from the text.
| Islands: | |
| Seas and oceans: | |
| Rivers: | |
| Cities: | |
| Mountains: |
Fill in each gap with the words from the box.
| the North Sea Scotland the British Isles | the English Channel Ireland the Strait of Dover |
1) The UK occupies most of the territory of _____.
2) Great Britain is separated from Europe by _____ in the east and by _____ in the south.
3) _____ is the narrowest part of the English Channel.
4) In the west, the Irish Sea and the North Channel separate Great Britain from ____.
5) The highest peak is Ben Nevis in _____.
Read about the main tourist attractions in London.
London
The capital of Great Britain is one of the most fascinating places in the world where races, nations and civilizations meet. Apart from its variety, London is also famous for its numerous historic buildings, monuments, museums, galleries, parks, theatres, cinemas and shops.
Traditionally, most tourists start visiting London from Westminster Abbey where all British sovereigns have been crowned. The magnificent Gothic Church is also famous for its numerous tombs and monuments to distinguished figures in Britain’s Past.
Not far away from Westminster Abbey is a massive complex of the Houses of Parliament built in the Gothic style in the 19th century. To the west of Parliament Square there is St. James’s Park, the oldest of London’s royal parks where tired tourists may rest for a while before they proceed to Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s residence. There they may observe the Changing of the Guard, a very colourful ceremony which takes place most mornings in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. Leading east from the royal residence is Whitehall, a street crowded with government offices, ministries and the Prime Minister residence at Downing Street No.10.
When visiting historic London, tourists should not forget about the Tower of London. It is traditionally guarded by the Yeomen warders of the Guard (known as ‘Beefeaters’) who daily perform the Ceremony of the Keys (the ritual locking of various parts of the Tower). The former prison and royal residence is now a museum where visitors may see the fabulous Crown Jewels, the executioner’s block or the oriental and other armouries.
The centre of London has many different areas. As interesting place to see is colourful Chinatown, a Chinese district full of oriental shops and restaurants. Shaftesbury Avenue separates Chinatown from Soho - the centre of London entertainment with numerous cinemas, theatres, discotheques, night clubs, pubs, restaurants and gambling clubs. To the south of Soho there is Piccadilly Circus with its colourful neon signs, the statue of Eros and the Trocadero - a new development of shops, restaurants and entertainments.
The city of London is one of the world’s greatest financial centres and the historical centre of London. There are several banks, including the Bank of England and Stock Exchange. The most impressive building in this part of London is St. Paul’s Cathedral, the architectural masterpiece of Christopher Wren. It houses many graves and monuments to important figures in the history of England, such as Nelson, Wellington or Montgomery.
Visitors may relax in wonderful London’s parks: Richmond and Kew Gardens which are full of beautiful exotic plants and trees.
Match each place to its description.
| 1) Westminster Abbey 2) Buckingham Palace 3) Whitehall 4) Downing Street, 10 5) Tower of London 6) Soho 7) City of London | a) the residence of Prime Minister b) former prison and now the museum c) crowning and burial place of the British monarchs d) financial and historic centre of London e) Queen’s residence f) centre of entertainment g) street with important government offices |
SPEAKING TASK