Interesting facts. The Great Fire of London began at approximately 1:00 a. m. on a Sunday morning on Pudding Lane in the home of Thomas Farynor, the King’s Baker. It burned out of control for five days and destroyed an area of one and a half miles by a half mile. Flames swept through more than 400 streets and lanes. In all, 13,200 houses, 87 churches, and 52 Company halls were destroyed. Remarkably, only 8 people died in the Great fire of London.
Madame Tussaud, the founder of the famous wax museum in London, began her career making wax figures at the court of Louis XVI in France and after the outbreak of the French Revolution made death masks of victims of the guillotine, some of which are still on display, with the guillotine blade used in the actual execution.
I. True or False? Write True if you agree, or False if you don’t.
1. London is situated on the banks of the river Avon
2. London was the first city in the world to have an underground railway, known as the ‘Tube’
3. London is the seat of central government in Britain
4. Big Ben is the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster
5. The Tower of London was once the residence of the king and queen of England
II. Find the right answer. Write a, b or c.
1. London is in the of England.
a) southeast
b) southwest
c) northeast
2. The name London most probably derives from .
a) the Celtic Llyn and Dun
b) the Latin Londinium
c) the Anglo-Saxon Loandan
3. During the Roman occupation London was .
a) an important political centre
b) the major port of the island province
c) Europe’s major religious centre
4. The Great Fire of London started .
a) September 2, 1466
b) September 2, 1566
c) September 2, 1666
5. Trafalgar Square was laid out in 1829–41 by Sir Charles Barry and commemorates .
a) the naval battle of 1805 near Spain
b) the battle of Waterloo of 1815
c) the battle of Hastings of 1066
6. St. Paul’s Cathedral was constructed to designs of .
a) Sir Christopher Wren
b) Sir Charles Barry
c) John Nash
7. The Tower of London is guarded by the Yeomen Warders, popularly called .
a) Beefeaters
b) Porkeaters
c) Hameaters
8. No. 11 Downing Street is the official home of .
a) the British Chancellor of Exchequer
b) the British Prime Minister
c) the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
9. In the centre of Piccadilly Circus is Shaftsbury Memorial .
a) with the statue of Eros
b) with the statue of Peter Pen
c) with the winged figure of Victory
10. Harrods in Knightsbridge is in London.
a) the most expensive department store
b) the most expensive hotel
c) the most expensive restaurant
