MY FIRST DAY IN LONDON
The general opinion abroad is
that London has fog or rain, or both, every day of the year, but on
the day that I arrived it was fine and warm, and the sky was cloudless.
In Ukraine at that time the snow was still melting, and there was mud
and sleet everywhere in the streets and parks. The next day was also beautiful; a slight wind was blowing and you could
smell spring in the air. I went for a walk
in Kensington Gardens. I found the way there quite easily. When I got
my first sight of the gardens, the beauty
of it took my breath away. The trees were just bursting into leaf,
fresh and green, and there were beds of spring flowers, red and yellow and
blue. People in light spring clothes
were walking about, and, to my surprise, they were walking not only along the paths but also across the grass. I passed a
pool, in which ducks were swimming, children were playing in the playgrounds.
It was time for me to go home,
but which way was it? I hurriedly turned down one path that I thought would take me back —
and found myself in Hyde Park. I ran to the left and to the right, asked some people for
the way to the street where I had stayed, but I found to my horror that I could not understand
what they said in reply. I walked through the park till I came to a big open place where a group of
people was listening to a man standing on a chair. From time to time they were asking questions or making remarks and
sometimes they were laughing at the speaker. Another group was singing loudly. This was a famous Hyde
Park meeting.
Meanwhile, the sun went behind
the cloud, I was terribly tired. At last I got to the park gate and came out into the street.
Motorcars, bicycles, buses were running, people were hurrying along. In despair I crossed
the street on to an island where I found a policeman who explained me the way to my hotel.
1. Before you listen,
answer the questions:
a) Have you ever been to a
strange place alone?
b) Have you ever lost your way in
an unknown place?
c) What places
in London would you like to see and visit?
d) Do you know what the weather is like
in London now? Is it different from the weather in Ukraine?
2. Listen to the text and
choose the most suitable heading for it.
a) Dangerous adventure.
b) Strange Tourist.
c) My First Visit to London.
d) Spring
in London.
3. Choose the correct ending
to complete the sentence.
The author during his first visit to London...
a) ...was surprised to see mud
and sleet in the streets.
b) ...attended a meeting
in Hyde Park.
c) ...saw almost all the famous
sights.
d) d) ...lost his way and had to
ask a policeman to help him.
4. Choose the proverb, which is the most suitable to the contents of the
story.
a) East or West, home is best.
b) All is well that ends well.
c) Every country has its customs.
d) So many countries, so many customs.
5. Listen again and fill in the gaps
with the correct verbs to complete the following sentences.
a) I ... never ... in a big city before.
b) On the day that I ... it ... fine and warm.
c) In my native town it ... early spring, and the snow
... still...
d) On the day I ... for a walk
in Kensington Gardens, the weather ... beautiful, a slight wind....
e) People in the park ... along
the paths, and also across the grass.
f) They ... light spring clothes.
g) I ... a pool, in which ducks ..., and in the
playgrounds nearby children....
h) I ... some people for the way to the street where
I....
i) When I... already tired, I got to the park gate and
... out into the street where buses, cars, bicycles ... and people
... along.
