SHORTLIST OF LONDON'S BEST
If you have limited visiting time we recommend you follow this list.
1) Houses of Parliament. The guided tours of the Houses of Parliament are excellent, in any language you want, and get you to places that even normal Brits can't. However, when Parliament is sitting, they are not running, but you can still get in.
2) Hampton Court. We rate this as one of the best attractions in Europe. A whole succession of kings and queens have added to Henry VIII’s original palace. There lie a fantastic park (by Capability Brown) and gardens (including the famous maze), and Tudor kitchens and one of the last remaining Real Tennis courts. Lots of free (once you've paid the admission) guided tours, some in costume, by people who know and love the place. It's also surrounded by a series of parks and makes a great destination for a bike trip — train out (30 minutes from Waterloo), bike back (12 miles) along the river. We prefer it to the Tower of London — you'll probably want to visit both, it knocks the spots off Buckingham Palace.
3) The River. Walk along the South Bank from Tower Bridge to Lambeth. The best of London is spread out for you: The Tower of London & Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace (residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury), Shakespeare's Globe theatre, Both Tate Galleries, St Paul's Cathedral, The South Bank Centre, The Temple, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Somerset House. (A 2 hour walk if you don't stop for long). Or you can take a boat out to Greenwich, the Thames Barrier or the Dome.
4) Westminster Abbey. Where they crown Kings. An unreasonable admission charge (should really be free or voluntary donation), but a masterpiece anyway. If you get bored of waiting in the queue, or packed down by the crowds, hurry yourself off to the City where there's more square space of historic church, and empty.
5) The Theatre. It'd be a crime to visit London and not take in a show. Londoners have been passionate about theatre for centuries. Not only is the quality high, but the price is low - one third the price of Broadway. Classical Music and Opera is of a similarly high standard and low price.
1.A foreign student studying the history of British Royal Family would most probably prefer the tour of _______.
A.Westminster Abbey
B.Tower Bridge
C.Somerset House
D.Hampton Court
2.The underlined statement “when Parliament is sitting” in paragraph 2 refers to the time _______.
A.when the Parliament is not officially in session.
B.when the members of Parliament are debating over a hot issue.
C.when the Parliament is staying idle for repairs.
D.when the members of Parliament are taking a break after some exercise
3.Where do you think one can probably meet with a man as a guide wearing the eighteenth century royal clothing?
A.In Lambeth Palace.
B.In Buckingham Palace.
C.In Hampton Court.
D.St Paul’s Cathedral.
4.Part of the reasons why Londoners are fond of theatre is that they enjoy _______.
A.the criminal drama plots
B.the inexpensive admission
C.the Classical Music and Opera
D.the scene of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre
A lesson in caring
It was a cold evening and my daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora did. She wasn’t even four, but she _______ at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, _______ we take him home?”
I don’t remember my reply. But I do remember a sudden_______feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her _______, whether it was _______ in flight or children playing. But now she was noticing _______ and beggary.
A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and _______ it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I _______us up. Nora was _______ about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how ________ our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to ________ myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge to turn ________. The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this? ________, we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She ________us right over.
The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed. ________ inside, I saw that the apartment belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged, I walked home in tears.
Professionals call such a(n)________“a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities, I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something ________that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and ________clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve ________ her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has ________ more?
1.A.waved B.glanced C.pulled D.aimed
2.A.Would B.Can C.Need D.Must
3.A.general B.funny C.heavy D.curious
4.A.world B.part C.eyesight D.area
5.A.insects B.animals C.plants D.birds
6.A.coldness B.suffering C.illness D.ignorance
7.A.delivered B.returned C.devoted D.posted
8.A.held B.hurried C.signed D.lined
9.A.casual B.sorry C.astonished D.excited
10.A.creative B.valuable C.shocking D.simple
11.A.warn B.stop C.allow D.push
12.A.back B.away C.up D.out
13.A.Therefore B.Obviously C.Also D.Still
14.A.called B.promised C.invited D.helped
15.A.Although B.Once C.Because D.Though
16.A.stay B.visit C.adventure D.challenge
17.A.fair B.famous C.difficult D.enjoyable
18.A.collect B.make C.order D.wear
19.A.let B.made C.watched D.noticed
20.A.benefited B.increased C.tried D.seized
My parents aren’t _______ me going abroad for education, fearing that I'm too young to take care of myself.
A.in charge of B.in favor of C.in need of D.in praise of
—You couldn't have chosen any present better for me.
——_______.
A.Oh, don't complain about a gift B.I'll give you a better one next time
C.I'm glad you like it so much D.Oh, nothing much
The young man’s face _______ when the boss told him what a nice job he had done.
A.brought up B.lit up C.put up D.took up
1 have one regret about the time I spent in high school: I _______ more advanced classes that are really helpful in college.
A.couldn't have taken B.should have taken
C.needn't have taken D.must have taken
