El bloc d'anglès del Tiana

HOLIDAYS IN LONDON

On the first of July, a group of Catalan students (YOU) with their teacher arrive in England. So, you want to visit London because the Olympic Games are going to be held there.

Before arriving in England you talk with Harry, an English boy, who tells you that…

“England is in the southern and eastern part of the island of Great Britain in the British Isles. 

We wear uniforms when we go to school. Our summer vacation is six weeks long. 

Our food is very simple. Beef, lamb and pork are common meats. Sometimes people roast or boil potatoes.

We play many sports here, like rugby, cricket, and tennis. My personal favorite is soccer. In England, we call it football. Some other things we do for fun include golfing, fishing, and hunting. Some party games are dominoes, darts, and snooker. Snooker is similar to pool.

The weather is never too hot and never too cold. It rains a lot, England is well known for its rainy weather. There is little snow, even in the mountains. We get the most sunny weather in the southeast coast.   

The language we speak is English except we have different meanings for  words than they do in the U.S.A. Here are some of them. 

Bobby= Police Officer; Cheers= Thank you, Goodbye; Crisps= Potato Chips; Lift= Elevator; Lorry=Truck; Petrol=Gasoline; Pins= Legs; Biscuits=Cookies 

London is  the most popular place to visit.  My favorite attractions are Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. You can also visit Buckingham Palace except you can’t go inside because that is where the queen lives”.

TASK 1: PREPARE YOUR SUITCASE

Imagine you must travel to Great Britain (London) for a week.

What would you put in your suitcase?

Remember that the weather in Great Britain iscold, rainy, cloudy, etc. You can go to the link “weather forecast” and search for what’s the weather like today in London, in order to get an idea about it.

TASK 2: LONDON TOP SIGHTS

The capital of the United Kingdom, London, is a huge city of nearly 7 million people. Famous sigths are a part of London’s rich and varied history, which dates back to Roman times, and it links with kings and queens through the ages.

Can you find some of these “top sights” into the marathon route? Which ones? You’ll find the marathon route map after this information, at the bottom of it 

 1. Nº 10

Close to the Houses of Parliament, Nº 10 Downing Street is the home of the Prime Minister.

2. Big Ben

Named after its massive bell, this is the clock tower of the House of Parliament.

3. National Gallery

The world-famous paintings in this gallery, located on Trafalgar Square, are mainly European and date from the 13th to the 20th centuries.

4. On guard

Soldiers of the Queen’s Life Guard stand in front of Buckingham Palace and St Jame’s Palace.

5. Hampton Court

This historic royal palace lies on the River Thames, west of London. Lose yourself in the famous maze, or visit the Tudor Great Hall and the State Apartments.

6. Westminster Abbey

Famous for its glorious medieval architecture, Westminster Abbey is a popular setting for royal weddings, coronations, and state funerals.

7. St Paul’s Cathedral

This grand cathedral was built by Cristopher Wren after the original cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Its spectacular dome is the second largest in the world.

8. Coronation Chair

You can see this throne in St Edward’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

9. Victoria and Albert Museum

This is the biggest museum of decorative arts in the world. Its 90,000 works of art span 3,500 years.

10. Tower of London

Once feared as prison, the Tower is now a museum for the Crown Jewels and the Royal Armouries. It is gruarded by warders known as “beefeaters”.

11. British Museum

Founded in 1793, this is the oldest museum in the world and contains treasures and antiquitites covering two million years of history.

12. Marble Arch

Originally designed for Buckingham Palace, the arch was moved to Park Lane because it was too narrow for the grandest coaches.

13. Picadeilly Circus

Huge neon signs mark the entrance to the West End’s entertainment district.

14. Buckinghsm Palace

The Queen’s residence in London, Buckingham palace is also used for ceremonial occasions.

15. Palace Guards

During summer, the gruards in front of Buckingham Palace are charged daily in a colourful ceremony.

  

 

LONDON THROUGH THE MARATHON MAP

Each year thousands of people flock to the St Katharine Docks area to watch the world famous London Marathon as it crosses Tower Bridge and passes along side the Docks on two sides.

The route loops twice past St Katharine Docks, once at Mile 13 and once at Mile 22.

In 2012, the 31st London Marathon is taking place on Sunday 22nd April 2012.

     Let’s visit some interesting places we can find just following the marathon map!

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