TEST / THE 7-TH FORM / READING

Read the text.

The Great Fire of London

London of the middle of the 17th century was a city of narrow, dirty streets. Indeed, the streets were so narrow that it was often possible for a person at a window on one side of the street to shake hands with a neighbour on the other side. There was little light and air. Rubbish lay piled up in dark corners. It is no wonder that epidemics were common.

The greatest epidemic of the plague broke out in 1665.

It was a sad time for London. The streets were empty, shops were closed and there were few boats on the Thames. Every house in which there were sick people was shut up, and no one was allowed to go in or out, and the door of the house was marked with a red cross.

The following year the Great Fire took place. It broke out late on a Saturday night (September, 2) in a street not far from London Bridge. The summer had been dry, a hot east wind blew and the fire spread quickly. This is what we read in the diary of John Evelyn, who saw the terrible fire with his own eyes. The Thames was covered with boats full of people. On the other side one could see carts carrying out the saved goods out into the fields and people putting up tents. At night the fire could be seen ten miles away. About 100,000 people were made homeless.

The fire burned for five days and destroyed the greater part of the city. But it did the city good, as it cleared away the old wooden houses and dirty, narrow streets.

A monument near London Bridge still marks the spot where the fire broke out. Sir Christopher Wren, the famous architect of that day, took part in rebuilding the city. 

_______

plague |pleɪɡ| чума

Task I. Decide if these statements are true or false.

1. London of the middle of the 17th century was a city of wide, dirty streets.

2. The streets of the city were light and airy.

3. Epidemics were common because of the great amount of rubbish in the corners of the streets.

4. The streets were empty when the greatest epidemic of the plague broke out. 

5. The Great Fire broke out late on Friday afternoon in a street not far from London Bridge.

6. In the year when the Great Plague happened the summer was dry and hot.

7. John Evelyn described the terrible fire in his diary.

8. At night the fire could be seen ten miles away from London.

Task II. Choose the correct item to complete the sentences.

1. London of the middle of … was a city of narrow, dirty streets.

2. The greatest epidemic of the plague broke out in …

3. The door of the house was marked with …

4. … the Great Fire took place.

5. The Great Fire broke out late on a Saturday night in a street not far from ...

6. On the other side of the river one could see … carrying out the saved goods out into the fields.

7. The fire burned for … days and destroyed the greater part of the city.      

8. The Thames was covered with boats full of ... 

9. The fire cleared away the … houses and dirty, narrow streets. 

10. Sir Christopher Wren, … of that day, took part in rebuilding the city.

TASK III. Work with questions.

1. Why was no one allowed to go in or out in 1665?

2. The Great Fire ___ good for the city, ____?

3. Where did the Great Fire take place?

Task IV. Fill in.

1. ___ Great Fire of ___ London is one of ___ most well-known disasters in London's history.

It began on ___ September ___ and lasted just under ___ days.

3. ___ of London was destroyed and about ___ people were made homeless.