3. Learn the key words and expressions.

carving – резная работа

climb – взбираться

dedicate to – посвящать

dome – купол

grandeur – пышность, великолепие

last – длиться

masterpiece – шедевр

specimen – экземпляр

spiritual – духовный

weigh – весить

4. Check your comprehension.

1. What is St. Paul’s Cathedral? 2. Who designed this masterpiece of Renaissance?

3. How long did its construction last? 4. What do you know about Whispering Gallery?

TEXT 15

1. Read the following proper nouns correctly.

Admiral Wellington Arch ['xdmIrql 'welINtqn 'RC] – Арка адмирала Веллингтона

Mall [mLl] – улица Мол

Trooping the Colour ['trHpIN Dq 'kAlq] – торжественное построение

Royal Mews ['rPIl 'mjHz] – Королевские конюшни

State Coach ['steIt 'kouC] – Королевская карета

2. Read and translate the text.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE (1, 400)

Buckingham Palace was designed by Sir Aston Webb as a memorial to Queen Victoria. The central gate is usually closed as only the sovereign may pass through it.

Admiral Wellington Arch stands at the entrance to the Mall, which leads down to Buckingham Palace. On the square before the Palace one can enjoy the beautiful, white marble and gilded Queen Victoria Memorial. The Buckingham Palace flies the royal standard when the Queen is in residence.

Despite its sumptuous apartments containing generations of royal treasures not all its residents were happy. In his memoirs the Duke of Windsor wrote that the vast building “with its stately rooms and endless corridors and passages seemed pervaded by a curious, musty smell that still assails me whenever I enter its portals”.

Today the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have private suites in the North Wing, overlooking Green Park. Their home is open to about 30, 000 guests in summer, attending garden parties. The State Apartments, which contain many treasures, are now open to the public.

The gardens have a lake, cascading water and the wild life includes flamingoes. Buckingham Palace is working setting for the monarchy – with a large staff involved in different tasks from the household to organizing banquets for visiting head of state. From here the Queen leaves on ceremonial duties such as the State Opening of Parliament in early winter and here Trooping the Colour takes place to mark the Queen’s official birthday in June.

The Queen’s Gallery houses changing exhibitions taken from the Royal Collections. This is open to the public. So are the Royal Mews with the Queen’s horses, their trappings, the breathtaking State Coach and more modern royal carriages and cars.

Notes

1) the State Apartments – королевские комнаты;

2) the State Opening of Parliament – официальное открытие работы парламента.

3. Learn the key words and expressions.

design – проектировать

duty – обязанность

gate – ворота

gilded – позолоченный

house – размещать, вмещать

musty – заплесневелый

pass – проходить

pervade – пропитываться

royal standard – королевский флаг

suits – (зд.) комнаты

sumptuous – роскошный

trapping – конское снаряжение

4. Check your comprehension.

1. Who designed Buckingham Palace? 2. In what cases does Buckingham Palace fly the royal standard? 3. What events take place in Buckingham Palace?

TEXT 16

1. Read the following proper nouns correctly.

Westminster Abbey ['westmInstqr 'xbI] – Вестминстерское Аббатство

Jesus Christ ['dZJzqs 'kraIst] – Иисус Христос

Shrine [SraIn] – усыпальница

2. Read and translate the text.

WESTMINSTER ABBEY (1, 800)

Westminster Abbey is the tallest Gothic building in the British Isles and one of the most beautiful buildings in London, beautiful for its architecture, for its stained glass and for its historic associations. Like many other great churches, the Abbey is designed in the shape of a cross, recalling the death of Jesus Christ. The oldest part of the building dates from the 8th century. It was a monastery called the West Minster.

When Westminster Abbey was founded in the 11th century by King Edward the Confessor, most Christians in Europe accepted the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. In the 16th century the Reformation brought many changes to the organization and worship of church throughout Europe. The Church of England, to which the Abbey belongs, became independent of Rome. But it kept up much of its traditions while developing its own distinctive forms of worship, conducting its services in English.

The church is full of memorials to kings, queens, writers, scientists and explorers, all of whom have played a part in shaping Britain’s history. As soon as one enters the Abbey through the Great North Door one will see memorials to former statesmen of Great Britain. For nearly one thousand years all the monarchs of Britain, beginning with William the Conqueror, have been crowned in the Abbey. Many of them are buried here. There is a corner where many writers, actors and musicians are honoured. Some are buried here, others are memorialized.

The Abbey is a living church that preserves the history of the British nation. It is not a museum, although there are many things worth seeing. Worship is offered in the Abbey without fail every day of the year.

The heart of the Abbey is the Shrine, which contains the body of St. Edward the Confessor. The mosaic pavement dates from 1268. Here coronations as well as weddings and funerals take place.

The Nave is the largest space in the church. It contains important monuments. One can find the grave of the Unknown Warrior here. Two monuments – that of the Unknown Warrior and that of Innocent Victims cause us to remember the tragedy of war, the bravery and selfsacrifice of warriors and the sufferings endured by the innocent. Statues represent Truth, Justice, Mercy and Peace. Above them ten martyrs of the 20th century.

Notes

1) are worth seeing – стоит посмотреть;

2) without fail – непременно, обязательно;

3) as well as – а также;

4) the grave of Unknown Warrior – могила неизвестному солдату;

5) martyr ['mRtq] – мученик.

3. Learn the key words and expressions.

bravery – отвага

cross – крест

found – основывать

innocent – невинный

mercy – милосердие

nave – неф

recall – напоминать

stained glass – витражное стекло

victim –жертва

wedding –свадьба

worship – богослужение; церковная служба

4. Check your comprehension.

1. What is Westminster Abbey? 2. In what shape is it designed? 3. Who founded Westminster Abbey? 4. What memorials are there in the Abbey?

TEXT 17

1. Read the following proper nouns correctly.

Parthenon ['pRTInqn] – Парфенон

Rosetta Stone [rou'zet 'stoun] – Розетский камень

Assyrians [q'sIrIqnz] – ассирийцы

Babylonians ["bxbI'lounjqnz] – вавилоняне

Chinese [CaI'nJz] – китайцы

Persians ['pE:Snz] - персы

Japanese [dZxpq'nJz] – японцы

2. Read and translate the text.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM (1, 500)

The British Museum, situated in an immense, light-grey building, like a Greek temple, is one of the world’s greatest treasure-stores. Its supreme collection was based on the will of Sir Hans Sloane in 1753, which persuaded Parliament to acquire his art, antiquities and natural history collections. At the same time the Harleian Collection of manuscripts was purchased for the nation. Today the museum has two departments – the Museum of Mankind and the National History Museum.

The Museum of Mankind contains a vast collection of antiquities, including marbles from the Parthenon, ancient works of art in stone, bronze and gold and collections illustrating Western Asiatic civilizations. The Museum keeps also the Rosetta Stone that helped archaeologists to find the key to the Egyptian hieroglyphics. The natural History Museum contains principal collections on the history of plants, minerals and the animal kingdom.

The British Museum has one of the largest libraries in the world. It has a copy of every book that is printed in the English language, so that there are more than six million books there. They receive nearly two thousand books and papers daily. The British Museum Library has a very big collection of printed books and manuscripts, both old and new. One can see the best collection of Greek papyri from Egypt, and vast collections of original historical manuscripts of incalculable value, which they keep in glass cases. One can also find there some of the first English books printed by Caxton, the first English printer. He lived in the 15th century and made the first printing-press in England.

The British Museum has a wonderful art gallery too. It has unique collections of sculpture, ceramics, drawings and paintings of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greek, Romans, Africans, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and many other peoples.

Notes

1) papyri [pq'paIqraI] – мн. ч. от papyrus [pq'paIqrqs] – папирусы;

2) hieroglyphics ["haIrq'glIfIks] – иероглифы.

3. Learn the key words and expressions.

acquire – приобрести

ancient – древний

daily – ежедневно

find – обнаружить, найти

immense - огромный

incalculable – неисчислимый

key – ключ

peoples – народы

purchase – купить

value – ценность

vast – обширный

will – завещание

4. Check your comprehension.

1. What is the British Museum? 2. Who contributed to the appearance of the Museum? 3. What collections does the Museum contain? 4. What is the Rosetta Stone?

TEXT 18

1. Read the following proper nouns correctly.

Technology [tek'nOlqdZI] – технические и прикладные науки

Eton [Jtqn] – Итон

Harrow ['hxrou] – Хэроу

Winchester ['wInCqstq] – Винчестер

Rugby ['rAgbI] – Рагби

2. Read and translate the text.

BRITISH SCHOOLS (1, 700)

Preschool education in England begins at the age of 3 or 4. About half of the children at this age attend nursery schools or playgroups mostly organized by parents. Little children need care as well as education. That’s why kids play a lot; learn to listen attentively and to behave.

Compulsory primary education begins at the age of 5. Children start their school career in an infant school. When they are 7, pupils move to a junior school, which lasts four years till they are 11. They study a lot of subjects: English, Maths, Science, History, Geography along with Technology, Music, Art and Physical Education. All the children are streamed into A, B, C, D classes. The most gifted attend A streams, the least talented are in D classes.

Most children (over 90 per cent) go to state schools where education is free. Only a small portion of them attend private (public) or independent schools where the fees are very high. The most notable private schools are Eton, Harrow, Winchester, and Rugby. Such schools are for the representatives of the ruling class.

Secondary education begins at 11. The majority of secondary schools are Comprehensive schools where boys and girls study together. Besides, parents can take their children to Secondary Modern schools or to Grammar schools. Many children of working families go to Modern schools, which give a very limited education but pupils get instruction in woodwork, metal work, sewing, shorthand, typing and cooking there. Grammar schools provide an academic course from 11 to 18. They prepare pupils for colleges and universities. The Comprehensive schools have their own “Grammar school” classes and “Modern classes”.

At about 16 years old teenagers take some exams and coursework to get General Certificate of Education. Those who choose to stay on at school usually study for two years more to pass A level (Advanced level) exams. These exams will give them chance to enter a university.