Forestry and woodworking

Учебное пособие для изучения

английского языка для студентов 1 курса

специальностей факультета природопользования и экологии

Text 1 london parks

English people are said to be country lovers and what they like best in their cities are their parks and gardens. English landscape gardening doesn’t use geometrical design, but tries to retain nature as it is only improving it a little. London has many parks and gardens which offer some peace from the busy city. London parks are pieces of country left in the midst of town.

The largest and the most popular of the London parks is Hyde Park. Including the adjoining Kensington Gardens, the length and breadth of the Park extend over an area of 636 acres. Everybody can rest here in the way he likes. A very attractive lake called Serpentine is used to swim in and to row on in summer. Another attraction of Hyde Park is the horse-riding lane known as Rotten Row, which is a mile and a half long. The park also offers such recreational activities as cycling and tennis. Hyde Park is a garden where you may walk and sit on the grass. There are vast of lawn with groups of trees where Londoners lie or sit about. Hyde Park is also famous for its Speaker’s Corner. On Sundays anyone can make a speech about something he believes to be very important. Hampstead Heath, in north London, is London's largest ancient parkland. St James's Park is London's oldest Royal Park. It is next to Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the Houses of Parliament and there are free concerts at weekends during the summer. One of the most popular sights are the pelicans on the lake. Holland Park is famous for its Japanese garden and peacocks.

Other well-known and important London parks are Regent’s Park, Green Park. In the south-west London, near the river Thames there is a fantastic park of Great Britain – the Kew Gardens. It is a botanical garden. All year round you can see lots of flowers there. There are hundreds of different trees, some of them are 200 years old. Londoners love their parks and are proud of them.

Words to remember:

1. landscape – ландшафт, пейзаж

2. design – конструкция, композиция

3. lawn – газон, лужайка

4. garden – сад

5. activity – деятельность

6. to walk – ходить, гулять

7. to extend – простираться, тянуться

8. to retain – сохранять, поддерживать

Exercise 1. Answer the questions:

1. Do English people like parks and gardens?

2. Which London Park is the most famous?

3. What can people do in Hyde Park?

4. Can people walk or sit on the grass in Hyde Park?

5. Why do people come to the Speaker’s Corner?

6. What other London parks do you know?

7. Are Londoners proud of their parks?

Exercise 2. Choose the proper word. Read and translate the sentence.

1. London parks are pieces of (city, country, water) left in the midst of town.

2. Hyde Park is the (largest, smallest, tallest) park in London.

3. Kensington Gardens (adjust, achieve, adjoin) Hyde Park.

4. Serpentine is a very nice (river, lake, waterfall).

5. (Rotten Row, Hyde Park, Serpentine) is a mile and a half long.

6. The Kew Gardens is a botanical (town, garden, activity).

7. There are hundreds of (parks, lakes, trees) in the Kew Gardens.