Reading "SOME FAMOUS LANDMARKS OF LONDON "

St Paul's Cathedral

The Great Fire of London in 1666 burnt the medieval cathedral to the ground, so Londoners needed a new one. Sir Christopher Wren started building St Paul's in 1675. It took him 35 years to finish it. St Paul's Cathedral has a 48 m high dome (a rounded roof). You can walk around its base on the inside. This part is called the Whispering Gallery. When you whisper against its wall, your friend can hear your whisper on the other side. That means that the church has got very good acoustics.

Have you read?

What is St Paul's?

Who build it?

How long time did it was rebuilt?

What is a dome?

What happened in 1666?

Why the gallery is called “Whispering”?

The Houses of Parliament

This huge building is the home of the British government. Members of Parliament are also called MPS. People choose them in elections, which take place every 4 to 5 years. The task of Parliament is to make laws.

Big Ben is the name of the bell (13.7 tons) inside the Clock Tower, which forms part of the Houses of Parliament.

Have you read?

Who are MPs?

How often do elections take place in Britain?

What does do the Parliament?

What is Big Ben?

Where is Big Ben?

The Gherkin

The Gherkin is one of the most famous high-rise buildings in London. It was designed by the famous British architect Norman Foster. You can see its top from far away. Some people say it looks like a rocket, but most people simply call it the Gherkin. It was built in such a way as to save energy, so the heating and cooling costs are not too high.

Have you read?

What kind of building is the Gherkin?

Who designed it?

What does the Gherkin look like?

The Millennium Bridge

The Millennium Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames. People like walking over it because there is no traffic on it. It's 144 m long. The bridge has got the nickname Wobbly Bridge. When it first opened in 2000, thousands of people who walked across felt a gentle movement underfoot. The bridge was closed, the problem fixed and it was reopened on 2 February 2002. In the film Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters try to destroy the bridge and after some twisting, it collapses into the Thames. Luckily, that was just a film!

Have you read?

Why do people like this Bridge?

How long is it?

What is the nickname of the Millennium Bridge?

When was opened the bridge at first?

When was reopened it again?

What movie is mentioned in the text?