Урок - віртуальна подорож "Welcome to London!"

“Welcome to London”

Teacher: Well…Today we’ll make an imaginary trip to one of the most interesting and exciting city of the world, to London. We’ll learn new things about the history and modern life of the city, visit the most interesting sights of London, and watch video film.

 Now London is one of the largest cities in the world.  More than 10mln people live in London and its suburbs.  London is a city of striking contrasts. Here one can come across the past and the present, the old and the modern, live side by side in mutual tolerance and respect.

 No excursion can be held without a guide. Let me introduce our guides. They are …

 Guide 1: In London, one can see architecture of different centuries and styles. It is inseparably connected with the history of the city.  Traditionally London is divided into several parts:   the   City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. The city first started in the place, which is known as the City. It is the oldest part and the Heart of London, it’s commercial and business centre.  It occupies a territory of a square mile. During a day, it is full of people, nearly a million people work there.  

Guide 2: We start from Trafalgar Square is a very famous square where on New Year's Eve people gather to celebrate. At midnight people jump into the fountains fully clothed and enjoy themselves.  It is also the geographical center 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. The square is popular with visitors, who come to relax by the fountains there or to feed the pigeons. Trafalgar Square has become famous as a rallying point for all kinds of demonstrations, marches and political meetings. Some people say it is the most beautiful place in London.

Guide 1: Now we are coming to Piccadilly Circus. This is a square in the central part of London, where we can see people of many nationalities. It is the meeting point of six streets. It is famous for its brightly lit neo advertisements at night. London’s famous restaurants and best-known theatres and cinemas are on Piccadilly Circus.

London is very rich in museums and art galleries. If you are fond of painting you'll go to the National Gallery or to the National Portrait Gallery or to the Tate Gallery.  It has got a fine collection European paintings. There are about 300 oils and 19000 watercolours and drawings. Not far away is the British Museum - the biggest museum in London. The present building was built in 1852. It contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures, ets, and is famous for its library.

Buckingham Palace

Guide 2: Buckingham Palace is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen and her family. It isn't open to the public. Buckingham Palace has 600 rooms, a swimming pool, a cinema, a ballroom, a nuclear cellar and a garden, which is like a private park. In summer the Queen gives three garden parties for about 9,000 guests.

The ceremony of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is a great tourist attraction. It takes place daily in the forecourt at 11.30 a.m. and lasts half an hour. To the sound of music, the guardsmen in their traditional bearskins arrive and pass the palace keys to an­other group.

Guide 1: The Houses of Parliament

Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London. The Houses of Parliament in London, known also as the Palace of Westminster is the place where members of Parliament gather to make laws. The Parliament of the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords consists of just over 1,000 members of the different grades of nobility - dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts and barons. In the House of Commons there are 650 members.

Guide 2: Westminster Abbey is a symbol of English tradition at its best. It is more than nine hundred years old. There are many monuments and statues there, many English kings and queens are buried there. It is famous for the Poet’s Corner. It is one of the most famous and beautiful churches in London. This church has two tall towers. In 1952 Queen Elizabeth was crowned there.

Guide 1: The Clock Tower, which contains the hour-bell called Big Ben, is known the world over. The bell is named after Sir Benjamin Hall. The tower is 96.3 meters high. It weights 13 tons. Besides Big Ben there are four Little Bens which strike before Big Ben.

Guide 2: Now we are crossing Tower Bridge over the river Thames. It was opened in 1894. It takes its name from the Tower of London.  The hydraulic mechanism can raise and lower the bridge in about one and a half minutes. The covered walkway between the two towers is open to the public and offers a spectacular view of London.

Guide 1: The Tower of London is a very old building, - nine hundred years old! In the early days of England the English kings lived in the Tower. Then it was a prison where many people died. The Tower has been used as a royal palace, an observatory, an arsenal, a state prison, and many famous and infamous people have been executed within its walls. Now the Tower of London is a museum housing the National Collection of Amour and Royal Regalias, and many tourists from other countries come to see it. They see the dark stone halls with small windows and thick doors. Something that should not be missed is the Crown Jewels, a priceless collection of every jewel known.

The Tower is still guarded by the Yeomen Warders, the famous Beefeaters, who wear a traditional sixteen-century uniform. The symbol of Tower is 6 ravens which live there. The  legend says that if the ravens leave, the Tower and the country will fall.

Guide 2 ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Everybody coming to London for the first time wants to see St. Paul's Cathedral. This is the third cathedral with this name which London has had. The two others were burnt down, the first in 1086 and the second in 1666.

Christopher Wren was an architect who had already built many buildings. Now, in 1675, he started on his greatest work. For 35 years the building of St. Paul's Cathedral went on, and Wren was an old man before it was finished.

From far away you can see the huge dome with a golden ball and cross on the top. The inside of the cathedral is very beautiful. After looking around, you can climb 263 steps to the Whispering Gallery, above the library, which runs round the dome. It is called this because if someone whispers close to the wall on one side, a person with an ear close to the wall on the other side can hear what is said. Then, if you climb another 118 steps, you will be able to stand outside the dome and look over London.

Guide 1: Double-decker- a bus with two passenger decks. They are a common sights in Britain. London has more than three thousands double-deckers. At  many seaside resorts Double-decker with an open top desk are used in the summer season for tourists. Taxis in London are old-fashioned black cars.

Guide 2 Telephone box

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed a telephone box in the 1920s. In 1985 more of them were replaced with modern telephone boxes. People protested so much at the old ones were put back in London. Now you can see them.

 Teacher: So, our trip is coming to its end. We well know that there is so much to see in London, that even Londoners can always find new places of interest. And it’s impossible to see and discuss all of them for such a short period. We’ll do it at the next lessons.