Ireland is an island, which consists of Republic of Ireland and Nothern Ireland. It is situated in the west of Great Britain, in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The main cities are the capitals of each states, Dublin (capital of Republic) – over 40% of the population resides there, and Belfast (cap. Of Nothern I.).
The whole landscape consists mainly of the lowlands, there are almost no mountains but the range of mountains along the cost, which also is not very high. The highes peak is called Carrantuohill- 1040 m. Sometimes it is called a „bowl“.
The population of Ireland is predominately of Celtic origin, no significant ethnic minorities exist. It has got about 3,5 mil inhabitants, but many of Ir. People live abroad ( in USA and other).
Political system
Executive branch :
The head of state is the president, elected by direct popular vote for a 7-year term, max. for 14 years, who is also the supreme commander of the defence forces.
It is vested in the government, which is responsible to the lower house of the national legislature and is headed by the prime minister ( Bertie Ahern, since June 1997 )
Legislative authority :
is vested in a bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (60 seats) and the Houses of Representatives (166 seats).
The most importent party is republicans.
The flag consists of three bands
green : old gaelic and anglosaxon origins
orange : William of Orange
white : peace, truth
Judicial branch :
is vested in a supreme court, judges are appointed by the president, than high court, court of criminal appeal and the discrict courts.
Economy
Ireland is a small, modern, trade-independent economy with very big growth, one of the most quickly developing country.
Agriculture, one of the most important sector is now dwarfed by the industry.
animal husbandry ( cattle, sheep, hogs, horses),
poultry production is also important.
The principal field crops are wheat, barley, oats,potatoes, sugar beats,beef, diary products...
The fishing industry is expanding.
CULTURE
They have very specific music made by violins, flutes or backpipes. They do not use their hands while dancing. The national sports are hurling. Horse racing is highly popular sport throughout the republic. Thank to its level ladnscape there are good conditions to play golf.
Canada,Ireland
Canada is the world´s second largest country by total area after Rissia, situated in north part of North America. Canada occupy territory between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, on the north is Arctic ocean and on the south border with USA.
History
Canada rised on the territory settled by Indians and Eskimos as a colony of Britain and France. For this reason part of Canadian´s people speak english and part speak french. Colonialists coming there after discovery of America in 15.century. First longtime settled places are Port Royal and Quebec by France and Newfauland by Britain, about year 1610. Canada get independence in 1867 when was signed the Constitution Act and Canada consiste of four province: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Today Canada is a federation composed of ten provinces and three territories. Difference between provinces and territories is that Provinces have more autonomy than territories.
Political system
Canada is a constitition monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Delegate of queen in Canada is general gavernor. Parlament is made up of House of Commons and Senate. Members of House of Commons are elected every five year and members of senate are appointed by premier and stay on this function to 75 year. The capital city is Ottawa and official languages are English and French.
Religion in Canada: majority of population professed to Christianity (75%), second is Islam (2%) and about 16% people are unattached.
Geography and climate
Canada occupies a major northern portion of North America that´s why have very cold climate. There are many arctic islands near Greenland and other places where have snow all the year. Very big important have river St. Lawrence and Great Canadian´s Lakes whitch St. Lawrence connecting. On the north is situated Canadian shield which inclose all Hudson bay and extending to Great Lakes. In Canada is two highlands: Appalachian Mountain on the east and Cordilliera Mountain on the west. Part of Cordilliera Mountain is called Rocky mountain and they are known for national parks. Western Canada has many volcanoes and is part of the system of volcanoes found around the margins of the Pacific Ocean, which is called the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Economy
Canada is one of the richest country of the world. Lifestyle is on high rank. The biggest economic partner are USA and Mexico. The most important for economy is mining of wood and oil. Canada have big reserve of natural gas. Energy is getting from hydroelectric stations.
Places of interest
Niagara falls- The Niagara Falls are voluminous waterfalls on the Niagara River which is between lakes Erie and Ontario. Watefall is 52 m high.
Rocky mountains- there are many national parks, beautiful mountains and small lakes with beautiful view and scenery.
CN Tower- it is tallest building of the World is 533 meters tall in Toronto.
Casa Loma- is the majestic castle of Canada. The castle is a mark of splendor and elegance of the early European elegance.
Sport
National sports are ice hockey and lacrosse. Very popular are skiing, baseball or fooball but everything is affected by season.
Ireland
Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe which lies to the north-west of continental Europe. On the north Ireland border with North Ireland, Atlantic ocean is on the west, Irish sea on the east and Keltic sea on the south. Ireland covers more than 80% of the Irish island. 20% pertains to Northern Ireland.
History
Ireland is a successor of dominium called Irish independent state. This dominium originate in 1922 when all Irish island get out from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. But next day Northern Ireland join up back to United Kingdom.
Political system
Ireland is republic with president which is head of state. Today president is women Mary McAleese. National languages are Irish and English. Capital city is Dublin.
Geografy
A ring of coastal mountains surrounds low central plains. The highest peak is Carrauntoohil. The River Shannoneith 400km, is the longest river in Ireland. On this river are three big lakes Lough Allen, Lough Ree a Lough Derg. The island's lush vegetation, a product of its mild climate and frequent rainfall, earns it the nickname "Emerald Island".
Places of interest
Giant's Causeway – It´s the rock formation on the coast shire Antrim. It belong to UNESCO monument.
Killarney National Park – It´s located beside the town of Killarney. It was the first national park established in Ireland.
Blarney Castle – It´s a medieval stronghold in Blarney. The strongholold have beautiful garden.
Dublin Castle – It´s one of the oldest bulding in Dublin. The most interesting is the tower from 13. century.
History
Canada rised on the territory settled by Indians and Eskimos as a colony of Britain and France. For this reason part of Canadian´s people speak english and part speak french. Colonialists coming there after discovery of America in 15.century. First longtime settled places are Port Royal and Quebec by France and Newfauland by Britain, about year 1610. Canada get independence in 1867 when was signed the Constitution Act and Canada consiste of four province: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Today Canada is a federation composed of ten provinces and three territories. Difference between provinces and territories is that Provinces have more autonomy than territories.
Political system
Canada is a constitition monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Delegate of queen in Canada is general gavernor. Parlament is made up of House of Commons and Senate. Members of House of Commons are elected every five year and members of senate are appointed by premier and stay on this function to 75 year. The capital city is Ottawa and official languages are English and French.
Religion in Canada: majority of population professed to Christianity (75%), second is Islam (2%) and about 16% people are unattached.
Geography and climate
Canada occupies a major northern portion of North America that´s why have very cold climate. There are many arctic islands near Greenland and other places where have snow all the year. Very big important have river St. Lawrence and Great Canadian´s Lakes whitch St. Lawrence connecting. On the north is situated Canadian shield which inclose all Hudson bay and extending to Great Lakes. In Canada is two highlands: Appalachian Mountain on the east and Cordilliera Mountain on the west. Part of Cordilliera Mountain is called Rocky mountain and they are known for national parks. Western Canada has many volcanoes and is part of the system of volcanoes found around the margins of the Pacific Ocean, which is called the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Economy
Canada is one of the richest country of the world. Lifestyle is on high rank. The biggest economic partner are USA and Mexico. The most important for economy is mining of wood and oil. Canada have big reserve of natural gas. Energy is getting from hydroelectric stations.
Places of interest
Niagara falls- The Niagara Falls are voluminous waterfalls on the Niagara River which is between lakes Erie and Ontario. Watefall is 52 m high.
Rocky mountains- there are many national parks, beautiful mountains and small lakes with beautiful view and scenery.
CN Tower- it is tallest building of the World is 533 meters tall in Toronto.
Casa Loma- is the majestic castle of Canada. The castle is a mark of splendor and elegance of the early European elegance.
Sport
National sports are ice hockey and lacrosse. Very popular are skiing, baseball or fooball but everything is affected by season.
Ireland
Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe which lies to the north-west of continental Europe. On the north Ireland border with North Ireland, Atlantic ocean is on the west, Irish sea on the east and Keltic sea on the south. Ireland covers more than 80% of the Irish island. 20% pertains to Northern Ireland.
History
Ireland is a successor of dominium called Irish independent state. This dominium originate in 1922 when all Irish island get out from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. But next day Northern Ireland join up back to United Kingdom.
Political system
Ireland is republic with president which is head of state. Today president is women Mary McAleese. National languages are Irish and English. Capital city is Dublin.
Geografy
A ring of coastal mountains surrounds low central plains. The highest peak is Carrauntoohil. The River Shannoneith 400km, is the longest river in Ireland. On this river are three big lakes Lough Allen, Lough Ree a Lough Derg. The island's lush vegetation, a product of its mild climate and frequent rainfall, earns it the nickname "Emerald Island".
Places of interest
Giant's Causeway – It´s the rock formation on the coast shire Antrim. It belong to UNESCO monument.
Killarney National Park – It´s located beside the town of Killarney. It was the first national park established in Ireland.
Blarney Castle – It´s a medieval stronghold in Blarney. The strongholold have beautiful garden.
Dublin Castle – It´s one of the oldest bulding in Dublin. The most interesting is the tower from 13. century.
George Bernard Shaw -My Fair Lady
G. B. Shaw
• 1856-1950
• Was born in Dublin, Ireland
• His mother, who was a professional singer, left home and followed her lover (her voice teacher) to London
• George joined her and didn’t return to Ireland for many years
• He started his literary career with writing novels, but wasn’t successful
• Then began to write plays and at the beginning of 20th century was a well-established author
• Was successful also in USA and Germany
• Was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925
• His involvement in politics:
o Was a keen socialist, but didn’t agree with Marx’s theory of the class struggle and revolution
o =>Established Fabian Society which wanted to defeat capitalism by means of parliamentary way, not by a violent revolution
Pygmalion – My Fair Lady
• Originally a play called Pygmalion, was adapted into a musical My Fair Lady
Main characters:
Eliza Doolittle – a poor girl who sells flowers in the streets of London, was thrown out by her parents as soon as she was old enough to make money
Henry Higgins – an expert in the phonetics, doesn’t like the language and morals of the lower classes, but is able to recognize their natural intelligence (that’s why he likes Eliza’s father), is cold and reserved, treats Eliza as a pupil or a subject of an experiment)
Colonel Pickering – a gentleman who has served in India, also expert in linguistics, is always kind to Eliza, treats her as a lady from the beginning (as opposed to the professor)
Alfred Doolittle – Eliza’s father, unemployed alcoholic, who amused the professor very much. The professor recommends him as a brilliant speaker to give a speech on morals. The American millionaire who organized the lecture later dies and leaves all his money to him. That’s how he becomes a member of the middle class
Mrs. Pearce - Professor’s housekeeper, an extremely class-aware lady, doesn’t agree with the experiment
ò Story T :
• The two old gentlemen meet in the rain one night at Covent Garden.
• The professor says, that with his knowledge of phonetics, he would be able to change a cockney speaking flower-girl, Eliza, into a lady.
• The next morning, the girl appears at his laboratory in Wimpole Street to ask for speech lesions so that she could speak properly enough to work in a flower shop.
• Higgins makes merciless fun of her but finally, he bets Pickering, that he will be able to change her into a lady well spoken as a duchess in six months’ time.
• The challenge is taken, and Higgins starts by having his housekeeper bathe Eliza and give her new clothes.
• Then Eliza’s father comes to demand the return of his daughter, thought his real intention is to hit Higgins up for some money.
• At first, she hates him for being so strict and stiff but gradually she begins to admire him
• The professor, amused by Doolittle’s unusual rhetoric, gives him five pounds.
• During the following months, Higgins trains Eliza to speak properly.
• After six months, Eliza goes to an ambassador’s party
• This e vent is a huge success as everyone considers her a duchess
• The bet is definitely won, but Higgins and Pickering are now bored with the project, which causes Eliza to be hurt
• She leaves Higgins’s house at night and stays with Freddy, a young man fallen in love with her
• In the film version, Higgins realized he misses her a lot and hopes she returns one day, which she eventually does.
• However, in the original version, Shaw never makes it clear whether she will return or not.
The major themes:
1. Social hierarchy
• Shaw includes members of all social classes from the lowest to the upper class
• He shows that in British society, language is closely connected with class, from a person’s accent, we can tell where the person comes from and what his/her background is.
2. Gender antagonism
• Relations between people of opposite genders are generally portrayed by Shaw as antagonistic. Right to the last act, Higgins is still quarrelsome, cold and cynical in his interaction with Eliza, and doesn’t even thing of her as an object of romantic interest
• 1856-1950
• Was born in Dublin, Ireland
• His mother, who was a professional singer, left home and followed her lover (her voice teacher) to London
• George joined her and didn’t return to Ireland for many years
• He started his literary career with writing novels, but wasn’t successful
• Then began to write plays and at the beginning of 20th century was a well-established author
• Was successful also in USA and Germany
• Was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925
• His involvement in politics:
o Was a keen socialist, but didn’t agree with Marx’s theory of the class struggle and revolution
o =>Established Fabian Society which wanted to defeat capitalism by means of parliamentary way, not by a violent revolution
Pygmalion – My Fair Lady
• Originally a play called Pygmalion, was adapted into a musical My Fair Lady
Main characters:
Eliza Doolittle – a poor girl who sells flowers in the streets of London, was thrown out by her parents as soon as she was old enough to make money
Henry Higgins – an expert in the phonetics, doesn’t like the language and morals of the lower classes, but is able to recognize their natural intelligence (that’s why he likes Eliza’s father), is cold and reserved, treats Eliza as a pupil or a subject of an experiment)
Colonel Pickering – a gentleman who has served in India, also expert in linguistics, is always kind to Eliza, treats her as a lady from the beginning (as opposed to the professor)
Alfred Doolittle – Eliza’s father, unemployed alcoholic, who amused the professor very much. The professor recommends him as a brilliant speaker to give a speech on morals. The American millionaire who organized the lecture later dies and leaves all his money to him. That’s how he becomes a member of the middle class
Mrs. Pearce - Professor’s housekeeper, an extremely class-aware lady, doesn’t agree with the experiment
ò Story T :
• The two old gentlemen meet in the rain one night at Covent Garden.
• The professor says, that with his knowledge of phonetics, he would be able to change a cockney speaking flower-girl, Eliza, into a lady.
• The next morning, the girl appears at his laboratory in Wimpole Street to ask for speech lesions so that she could speak properly enough to work in a flower shop.
• Higgins makes merciless fun of her but finally, he bets Pickering, that he will be able to change her into a lady well spoken as a duchess in six months’ time.
• The challenge is taken, and Higgins starts by having his housekeeper bathe Eliza and give her new clothes.
• Then Eliza’s father comes to demand the return of his daughter, thought his real intention is to hit Higgins up for some money.
• At first, she hates him for being so strict and stiff but gradually she begins to admire him
• The professor, amused by Doolittle’s unusual rhetoric, gives him five pounds.
• During the following months, Higgins trains Eliza to speak properly.
• After six months, Eliza goes to an ambassador’s party
• This e vent is a huge success as everyone considers her a duchess
• The bet is definitely won, but Higgins and Pickering are now bored with the project, which causes Eliza to be hurt
• She leaves Higgins’s house at night and stays with Freddy, a young man fallen in love with her
• In the film version, Higgins realized he misses her a lot and hopes she returns one day, which she eventually does.
• However, in the original version, Shaw never makes it clear whether she will return or not.
The major themes:
1. Social hierarchy
• Shaw includes members of all social classes from the lowest to the upper class
• He shows that in British society, language is closely connected with class, from a person’s accent, we can tell where the person comes from and what his/her background is.
2. Gender antagonism
• Relations between people of opposite genders are generally portrayed by Shaw as antagonistic. Right to the last act, Higgins is still quarrelsome, cold and cynical in his interaction with Eliza, and doesn’t even thing of her as an object of romantic interest
My Future Career, my plans for the future
When I was a child I never seriously thought about my future career. As a small child I dreamt of being an archaeologist like Indiana Jones. I thought that the work of the archaeologist is as interesting as it was in the movie. But because I'm not good at learning languages, which I would need for this work, I gave up this dream.
Then I started to attend Basic School and all my dreams changed. I was interested in many things, like playing the piano, I was practicing sports but I wasn’t quite good at it.
But my plans for my future career changed from day to day many times.
Later I went to Secondary School. During my studies I began to think about my future career more seriously. First I wanted to be a psychologist, because I am very interested in this subject and I read many books with a psychological theme. Eventually I realized that my focus is not on the humanities, but rather on technique, so psychology is a hobby and nothing more
My plans:
So, first of all, I want to finish secondary school. At the moment I am taking the final graduation exam in four different subjects, Czech language, English language, Chemistry and IT. I hope I won’t fail. I have been working hard for this exam.
After my graduation I would like to study at University with focus on IT. I have applied to Agricultural University at Suhdol, University of Chemical Technology and several others.
I am interested in computers, so I’d like to work with them. I would like to work like my dad, who is engaged in IT, has his own computer company. Unfortunately, our relations are not good enough so I couldn’t start working with him.
But it is difficult to make plans for life now – at the age of nineteen. But to think about it, I would like to finish the university and before getting a job in my field, I would like to take some time to travel round the world doing different jobs. When I get back I would like to buy a beautiful house, settle down, get married and have children. But nobody knows what is going to come, so this is one big IF and I wish.
Job:
For me a good job should be well paid, not be boring and monotonous. I hope I will choose a profession that will satisfy me, challenge me and bring me joy. I believe that a job should be like a hobby. I hope I won’t be dissatisfied and bored with my job.
But nowadays young people face quite a big problem finding a good job. It is no usually difficult to find a job, but if you want to work in your field and take advantage of the knowledge, you gained at the university, then it is difficult.
In different times different jobs are “in”. Some time ago, there were so few doctors and lawyers that everybody wanted to be one as they were considered to be well – paid job. Nowadays it is the same with IT.
Also in this time, learning languages is very important, because when you want a job, you need at least two languages.
Family
I would like to get married one day, but not so soon. I have a boyfriend now but I am only nineteen, I don’t need to start thinking about marriage. After I finish schools I want to travel a little before I settle down.
My future partner should be nice, takes care of me and also should have a good job. But it is one big if and I do not insist on it.
I would like my children to create a larger base than I had mine. My parents divorced when I was 7 years later, I experienced a second divorce a few years ago, when my mom split up with my stepfather. The first divorce was a shock, the other was expected, but I do not want my children to experience the same as me.
Then I started to attend Basic School and all my dreams changed. I was interested in many things, like playing the piano, I was practicing sports but I wasn’t quite good at it.
But my plans for my future career changed from day to day many times.
Later I went to Secondary School. During my studies I began to think about my future career more seriously. First I wanted to be a psychologist, because I am very interested in this subject and I read many books with a psychological theme. Eventually I realized that my focus is not on the humanities, but rather on technique, so psychology is a hobby and nothing more
My plans:
So, first of all, I want to finish secondary school. At the moment I am taking the final graduation exam in four different subjects, Czech language, English language, Chemistry and IT. I hope I won’t fail. I have been working hard for this exam.
After my graduation I would like to study at University with focus on IT. I have applied to Agricultural University at Suhdol, University of Chemical Technology and several others.
I am interested in computers, so I’d like to work with them. I would like to work like my dad, who is engaged in IT, has his own computer company. Unfortunately, our relations are not good enough so I couldn’t start working with him.
But it is difficult to make plans for life now – at the age of nineteen. But to think about it, I would like to finish the university and before getting a job in my field, I would like to take some time to travel round the world doing different jobs. When I get back I would like to buy a beautiful house, settle down, get married and have children. But nobody knows what is going to come, so this is one big IF and I wish.
Job:
For me a good job should be well paid, not be boring and monotonous. I hope I will choose a profession that will satisfy me, challenge me and bring me joy. I believe that a job should be like a hobby. I hope I won’t be dissatisfied and bored with my job.
But nowadays young people face quite a big problem finding a good job. It is no usually difficult to find a job, but if you want to work in your field and take advantage of the knowledge, you gained at the university, then it is difficult.
In different times different jobs are “in”. Some time ago, there were so few doctors and lawyers that everybody wanted to be one as they were considered to be well – paid job. Nowadays it is the same with IT.
Also in this time, learning languages is very important, because when you want a job, you need at least two languages.
Family
I would like to get married one day, but not so soon. I have a boyfriend now but I am only nineteen, I don’t need to start thinking about marriage. After I finish schools I want to travel a little before I settle down.
My future partner should be nice, takes care of me and also should have a good job. But it is one big if and I do not insist on it.
I would like my children to create a larger base than I had mine. My parents divorced when I was 7 years later, I experienced a second divorce a few years ago, when my mom split up with my stepfather. The first divorce was a shock, the other was expected, but I do not want my children to experience the same as me.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is considered to be the world´s greatest playwright. His plays have been performed for centuries and it seems that they will always attract audience and readers. First of all, let me introduce the historical and cultural background associated with Shakespeare´s life...
The second half of the 16th century and the turn of the 17th century is said to be the period of a great overall flourishment in England, with Queen Elizabeth I. on the throne. England lay quite separated from the rest of Europe, so there was enough space for arts to develop - contrary to the states on the continent, which were busy fighting against the reformation as well as with each other. Moreover, Elizabeth I. and her successor James I. were great supporters of theatre. There were many new theatres being opened and some performances were even free of charge for people who could not afford to pay the entrance fee.
We know very little about his private life.
William Shakespeare was born on the 23rd April 1564 in town called Stratford upon Avon in the South Warwickshire, witch lies in the middle area of England. He was the eldest son and third of the eight children of Mary Arden and John Shakespeare, and was baptised at Stratford on 26th.
Mary was the daughter of local landowners. John was a prosperous wood and leather merchant also a glover, who went on to become alderman of Stratford.
Shakespeare was educated at local grammar school until the age of 15; William was taken out of school to help his father’s business. When he was 18 he married Anne Hathaway, eight years older girl from a nearby village. The wedding was very fast. The reason was pregnancy of Anne.
They had a daughter Susan, even after the twins Judith and Hamlet. He left his wife and children and he moved to London where he began playing in several theatrical companies and later became co-owner of the theatre. He became an owner of playing company called the ,,Lord Chamberlain’s men” later known as the ,,King’s Men”. Shakespeare came to own many properties including New place, witch was the largest house in Stratford. His plays were performed at the court of Elizabeth I. In 1599 a theatre called Globe was built in London by Shakespeare’s playing company the Lord Chamberlain’s men. This one was destroyed by fire on 1613 and there was built another one on the same site.
After his son's death he went back to Stratford and lived a quiet life with his family. The very interesting thing is that he died on the same day as he was born in the age of 52. Shakespeare died on 23rd April 1616.
His work overall consists of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, 2 long narrative poems and several other poems. Shakespeare has created almost 40 games. From the beginning he wrote a comedy, after his son death he began to write tragedies. His plays have been translated into every major living language.
Romeo and Juliet
It's a story about two young people who fell in love, but they can‘t share their love, as they would like because of their families, Capulets and Montagues. These two families hate each other. Romeo and Juliet love each other and they have a secret wedding and they spend the night together. Parents want a wedding between Juliet and Lord Paris. Juliet drinks the potion and looks like dead. Romeo believes that Juliet is dead and he drinks poison near the ,,dead“ Juliet. Julie wakes up and finds that her love is dead kills herselve with Romeo‘s knife.
After this tragedy, the two families reconcile with each other
Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is heir to the Danish throne and is in love with Ophelia, the daughter of Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain. Hamlet’s father, the King of Denmark, suddenly dies. Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, immediately marries the dead king’s brother, Claudius, who makes himself king. Hamlet is confused and deeply unhappy about these events. When the play opens, some guards are talking about a ghost they have seen on the castle walls. The ghost looks like Hamlet’s father.
Hamlet hears about the ghost and decides to see for himself. At midnight, the ghost appears and tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. The ghost makes Hamlet promise to take revenge for his murder and Hamlet agrees to kill Claudius.
However, Hamlet cannot make up his mind to do it. He wants proof of his father’s murder and asks a group of actors to perform a play about the murder of a king by his brother. When Claudius sees the play, he rushes out of the room during the murder scene. Hamlet is now convinced that his uncle is guilty and goes to accuse his mother.
While Hamlet is telling his mother that he knows the truth, he hears a noise behind a curtain. He thinks Claudius is secretly listening to their conversation. He stabs and kills the person behind the curtain who is, in fact, Polonius, Ophelia’s father. Now King Claudius has a good excuse to send Hamlet away and he orders him to go to the England.
Hamlet leaves for England, not realising that Claudius has secretly planned his murder during the journey. Meanwhile Ophelia, who has been rejected by Hamlet, drowns herself from grief in a stream. Hamlet manages to escape and returns to Denmark.
Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, wants revenge for the deaths of his father and sister, so he challenges Hamlet to a duel. King Claudius gives Laertes a poisoned sword to use against Hamlet in the duel but the plan goes wrong and both Hamlet and Laertes are wounded by the same sword.
As the poison from the sword slowly begins to take effect on Hamlet and Laertes, Queen Gertrude drinks from a cup of poisoned wine, which Claudius prepared for Hamlet. As Laertes is dying, he tells Hamlet the truth about the poisoned sword. In the final scene, Hamlet stabs his uncle with the same sword just before he dies.
King Lear
King Lear asks his three daughters how much they love him. Tow older daughters say that they love him very, very much but the youngest daughter Cordelia says that she loves him according to her duty. He punishes her by giving her no property and banishes her out of his kingdom. A kind Prince marries her, although she is poor. Old king divides his kingdom and all his property between his two daughters. Now he has nothing and one daughter sends him to the other because he is old and makes troubles. Finally they order to him not to visit their houses again. He is left in a cruel storm alone and he becomes a fool. Cordelia learns about that and with her army she comes to help him. But she is put to the prison and handed a day later. King Lear dies of a big grief.
Historical Games - Henry IV., V., VI. Richard II, III. King John,
Comedy - The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer-night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew,
Tragedy - Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo and Juliet,
Poets – sonets, The phoenix and the Turtle
The second half of the 16th century and the turn of the 17th century is said to be the period of a great overall flourishment in England, with Queen Elizabeth I. on the throne. England lay quite separated from the rest of Europe, so there was enough space for arts to develop - contrary to the states on the continent, which were busy fighting against the reformation as well as with each other. Moreover, Elizabeth I. and her successor James I. were great supporters of theatre. There were many new theatres being opened and some performances were even free of charge for people who could not afford to pay the entrance fee.
We know very little about his private life.
William Shakespeare was born on the 23rd April 1564 in town called Stratford upon Avon in the South Warwickshire, witch lies in the middle area of England. He was the eldest son and third of the eight children of Mary Arden and John Shakespeare, and was baptised at Stratford on 26th.
Mary was the daughter of local landowners. John was a prosperous wood and leather merchant also a glover, who went on to become alderman of Stratford.
Shakespeare was educated at local grammar school until the age of 15; William was taken out of school to help his father’s business. When he was 18 he married Anne Hathaway, eight years older girl from a nearby village. The wedding was very fast. The reason was pregnancy of Anne.
They had a daughter Susan, even after the twins Judith and Hamlet. He left his wife and children and he moved to London where he began playing in several theatrical companies and later became co-owner of the theatre. He became an owner of playing company called the ,,Lord Chamberlain’s men” later known as the ,,King’s Men”. Shakespeare came to own many properties including New place, witch was the largest house in Stratford. His plays were performed at the court of Elizabeth I. In 1599 a theatre called Globe was built in London by Shakespeare’s playing company the Lord Chamberlain’s men. This one was destroyed by fire on 1613 and there was built another one on the same site.
After his son's death he went back to Stratford and lived a quiet life with his family. The very interesting thing is that he died on the same day as he was born in the age of 52. Shakespeare died on 23rd April 1616.
His work overall consists of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, 2 long narrative poems and several other poems. Shakespeare has created almost 40 games. From the beginning he wrote a comedy, after his son death he began to write tragedies. His plays have been translated into every major living language.
Romeo and Juliet
It's a story about two young people who fell in love, but they can‘t share their love, as they would like because of their families, Capulets and Montagues. These two families hate each other. Romeo and Juliet love each other and they have a secret wedding and they spend the night together. Parents want a wedding between Juliet and Lord Paris. Juliet drinks the potion and looks like dead. Romeo believes that Juliet is dead and he drinks poison near the ,,dead“ Juliet. Julie wakes up and finds that her love is dead kills herselve with Romeo‘s knife.
After this tragedy, the two families reconcile with each other
Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is heir to the Danish throne and is in love with Ophelia, the daughter of Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain. Hamlet’s father, the King of Denmark, suddenly dies. Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, immediately marries the dead king’s brother, Claudius, who makes himself king. Hamlet is confused and deeply unhappy about these events. When the play opens, some guards are talking about a ghost they have seen on the castle walls. The ghost looks like Hamlet’s father.
Hamlet hears about the ghost and decides to see for himself. At midnight, the ghost appears and tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. The ghost makes Hamlet promise to take revenge for his murder and Hamlet agrees to kill Claudius.
However, Hamlet cannot make up his mind to do it. He wants proof of his father’s murder and asks a group of actors to perform a play about the murder of a king by his brother. When Claudius sees the play, he rushes out of the room during the murder scene. Hamlet is now convinced that his uncle is guilty and goes to accuse his mother.
While Hamlet is telling his mother that he knows the truth, he hears a noise behind a curtain. He thinks Claudius is secretly listening to their conversation. He stabs and kills the person behind the curtain who is, in fact, Polonius, Ophelia’s father. Now King Claudius has a good excuse to send Hamlet away and he orders him to go to the England.
Hamlet leaves for England, not realising that Claudius has secretly planned his murder during the journey. Meanwhile Ophelia, who has been rejected by Hamlet, drowns herself from grief in a stream. Hamlet manages to escape and returns to Denmark.
Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, wants revenge for the deaths of his father and sister, so he challenges Hamlet to a duel. King Claudius gives Laertes a poisoned sword to use against Hamlet in the duel but the plan goes wrong and both Hamlet and Laertes are wounded by the same sword.
As the poison from the sword slowly begins to take effect on Hamlet and Laertes, Queen Gertrude drinks from a cup of poisoned wine, which Claudius prepared for Hamlet. As Laertes is dying, he tells Hamlet the truth about the poisoned sword. In the final scene, Hamlet stabs his uncle with the same sword just before he dies.
King Lear
King Lear asks his three daughters how much they love him. Tow older daughters say that they love him very, very much but the youngest daughter Cordelia says that she loves him according to her duty. He punishes her by giving her no property and banishes her out of his kingdom. A kind Prince marries her, although she is poor. Old king divides his kingdom and all his property between his two daughters. Now he has nothing and one daughter sends him to the other because he is old and makes troubles. Finally they order to him not to visit their houses again. He is left in a cruel storm alone and he becomes a fool. Cordelia learns about that and with her army she comes to help him. But she is put to the prison and handed a day later. King Lear dies of a big grief.
Historical Games - Henry IV., V., VI. Richard II, III. King John,
Comedy - The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer-night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew,
Tragedy - Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo and Juliet,
Poets – sonets, The phoenix and the Turtle
Tourism and travelling
Why do people travel?
• Due to traveling you can meet many different people, get to know their culture and customs, learn the foreign language, taste their cuisine, experience some adventure and compare life in the visited country and here in CR.
• Many people travel because they enjoy visiting castles, palaces, churches and other monuments, which is another reason why travel.
My attitude to traveling.
• I think that traveling is very useful.
• Firstly, you can extend your knowledge.
• Secondly, young people can become more independent and have more experiences.
• And last but not least it's a big fun.
Types of holiday:
• A package holiday
o consists of transport and accommodation sold together by a travel agent.
o Other services may be provided (a rental car or outings during the holiday).
• Adventure tourism
o a type of tourism involving exploration or travel to remote, exotic and possibly hostile areas, where the traveler should "expect the unexpected"
o It is rapidly growing in popularity as tourists seek unusual holidays, different from the typical beach vacation.
o This type of tourism gains much of its excitement by allowing its participants to step outside of their comfort zone.
o This may be from experiencing culture shock, or through the performance of acts that require significant effort and involve some degree of risk.
o This may include activities such as mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, rafting and rock climbing.
• Hiking
o a form of walking, with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery.
o It usually takes place on trails in rural or wilderness areas.
• Backpacking
o combines hiking and camping in a single trip.
o You hike into the backcountry to spend one or more nights there, and carry supplies and equipment to satisfy sleeping and eating needs.
Motivation
o People are drawn to backpacking primarily for recreation, to explore places that they consider beautiful and fascinating, many of which cannot be accessed in any other way
o A backpacker can travel deeper into remote areas, away from people and their effects, than a day-hiker can.
o Many weekend trips cover routes that could be hiked in a single day, but people choose to backpack them anyway, for the experience of staying overnight.
Drawbacks and possible risks
o These possibilities come with disadvantages. The weight of a pack, laden with supplies, forces backpackers to travel more slowly than day-hikers would, and it can become a nuisance and a distraction from enjoying the scenery.
o In addition, camp chores (such as pitching camp, breaking camp, and cooking) can easily consume several hours every day.
o Backpackers face many risks, including adverse weather, difficult terrain, river crossings, and hungry or unpredictable animals.
o They are subject to illnesses, such as dehydration, hypothermia, altitude sickness, and physical injury.
o However, these hazards do not deter backpackers who are properly prepared.
o Some simply accept danger as a risk that they must endure if they want to backpack; for others the potential dangers actually enhance the charm of the wilderness.
• Survivals skills are handy for peace of mind in case the weather, terrain or environment is more challenging than we are prepared for.
• Navigations and orienteering are useful to find and follow a route.
• First aid such as dealing with minor injuries (sprains etc.) as well as recognizing and treating hypothermia, heat stroke, dehydration and hypoxiis are considered by many a fundamental backcountry skill as these are rarely encountered in daily life.
• Leave no trace is the backpackers' golden rule. To have beautiful places to enjoy, help make them. At a minimum, don't make them worse.
• Agrotourism
o a style of vacation which usually includes a chance to help with farming tasks during the visit. It is often practiced in wine growing regions in Italy and Spain.
o Tourists can pick fruits and vegetables, ride horses, taste honey, learn about wine, etc.
o It is developing into a large part of the tourism industry and will soon be one of the largest sectors of tourism. People are nowadays more interested in how their food is produced and want to meet the producers and talk with them about what goes into food production. Children who visit the farms often have not seen a live duck, or pig, and have not picked an apple right off the tree.
• Culture tourism
o Includes tourism in historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres.
o It can also include tourism in rural areas focusing on the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and their values and lifestyle.
• Extreme tourism
o is a type of tourism involving travel to dangerous places (mountains, jungles, deserts, caves, etc.) or participation in dangerous events.
o It overlaps with extreme sport. The two share the main attraction, "adrenaline rush" caused by an element of risk.
o It is a growing business in the countries of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, etc.) and in South American countries like Peru, Chile and Argentina.
• Pilgrimage
o Is usually a journey to a sacred place. Members of every major religion participate in it Modern pilgrimages include Jerusalem, (site of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus), Vatican , Lourdes in France, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, etc.
How do these countries compare to our country? Do you think we should first get to know our own country before travelling abroad? What do you prefer – CR or going abroad?
Travelling is a big adventure for me, I really love it. Unfortunately, my familly doesn't travel abroad very much. I have been travelling quite a lot since my childhood, because my mother want to visit many places in CR. During the year we used to make many trips to Czech cities and castles. I think that it is important to visit the most interesting places in your country. With my secondary school I visited France and England and it was really amazing.
What are some problems/embarrassing situations/difficulties you may come across in foreign travel?
I think the most common problems in foreign traveling are caused by the loss of things, for example your luggage or suitcases, or you can have some problems with your hotel or travel insurance. Some misunderstanding can be caused by bad knowledge of the language or culture and so on.
What foreign country would you choose to live in? Is there any country you consider a terrible place for living?
If I had this chance I would like to live in USA or Australia
If you had the opportunity to travel around the world, what countries would you definitely want to visit and why?
Do you prefer travelling on your own or having your holiday arranged by a travel agency? Comment on the advantages and disadvatages of both ways.
I don't care about this. Travelling on your own is better because you can plan what you want, you can stay somewhere for longer than you planned at first and so on. The disadvantage is, that you have much work with planning. Having the holiday arranged by a travel agency has just the opposite arguments.
Do you prefer active holidays with lots of touring and sightseeing, or would you rather stay in one place and relax?
What kind of accommodation do you prefer? Have you ever been on a camping holiday? Have you ever slept in the open?
I prefer staying in some hotel or a guest house, it is much more comfortable. Camping holiday has its charm too, but my problem is that every time I sleep in a tent, I am cold. I don't mind it just for a couple of days, for example when I visited festivals with my friends, we slept in a tent for three days and it was quite good.
What trips have you been on with your school? - where, when, how, liked, didn't like, ..
• Due to traveling you can meet many different people, get to know their culture and customs, learn the foreign language, taste their cuisine, experience some adventure and compare life in the visited country and here in CR.
• Many people travel because they enjoy visiting castles, palaces, churches and other monuments, which is another reason why travel.
My attitude to traveling.
• I think that traveling is very useful.
• Firstly, you can extend your knowledge.
• Secondly, young people can become more independent and have more experiences.
• And last but not least it's a big fun.
Types of holiday:
• A package holiday
o consists of transport and accommodation sold together by a travel agent.
o Other services may be provided (a rental car or outings during the holiday).
• Adventure tourism
o a type of tourism involving exploration or travel to remote, exotic and possibly hostile areas, where the traveler should "expect the unexpected"
o It is rapidly growing in popularity as tourists seek unusual holidays, different from the typical beach vacation.
o This type of tourism gains much of its excitement by allowing its participants to step outside of their comfort zone.
o This may be from experiencing culture shock, or through the performance of acts that require significant effort and involve some degree of risk.
o This may include activities such as mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, rafting and rock climbing.
• Hiking
o a form of walking, with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery.
o It usually takes place on trails in rural or wilderness areas.
• Backpacking
o combines hiking and camping in a single trip.
o You hike into the backcountry to spend one or more nights there, and carry supplies and equipment to satisfy sleeping and eating needs.
Motivation
o People are drawn to backpacking primarily for recreation, to explore places that they consider beautiful and fascinating, many of which cannot be accessed in any other way
o A backpacker can travel deeper into remote areas, away from people and their effects, than a day-hiker can.
o Many weekend trips cover routes that could be hiked in a single day, but people choose to backpack them anyway, for the experience of staying overnight.
Drawbacks and possible risks
o These possibilities come with disadvantages. The weight of a pack, laden with supplies, forces backpackers to travel more slowly than day-hikers would, and it can become a nuisance and a distraction from enjoying the scenery.
o In addition, camp chores (such as pitching camp, breaking camp, and cooking) can easily consume several hours every day.
o Backpackers face many risks, including adverse weather, difficult terrain, river crossings, and hungry or unpredictable animals.
o They are subject to illnesses, such as dehydration, hypothermia, altitude sickness, and physical injury.
o However, these hazards do not deter backpackers who are properly prepared.
o Some simply accept danger as a risk that they must endure if they want to backpack; for others the potential dangers actually enhance the charm of the wilderness.
• Survivals skills are handy for peace of mind in case the weather, terrain or environment is more challenging than we are prepared for.
• Navigations and orienteering are useful to find and follow a route.
• First aid such as dealing with minor injuries (sprains etc.) as well as recognizing and treating hypothermia, heat stroke, dehydration and hypoxiis are considered by many a fundamental backcountry skill as these are rarely encountered in daily life.
• Leave no trace is the backpackers' golden rule. To have beautiful places to enjoy, help make them. At a minimum, don't make them worse.
• Agrotourism
o a style of vacation which usually includes a chance to help with farming tasks during the visit. It is often practiced in wine growing regions in Italy and Spain.
o Tourists can pick fruits and vegetables, ride horses, taste honey, learn about wine, etc.
o It is developing into a large part of the tourism industry and will soon be one of the largest sectors of tourism. People are nowadays more interested in how their food is produced and want to meet the producers and talk with them about what goes into food production. Children who visit the farms often have not seen a live duck, or pig, and have not picked an apple right off the tree.
• Culture tourism
o Includes tourism in historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres.
o It can also include tourism in rural areas focusing on the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and their values and lifestyle.
• Extreme tourism
o is a type of tourism involving travel to dangerous places (mountains, jungles, deserts, caves, etc.) or participation in dangerous events.
o It overlaps with extreme sport. The two share the main attraction, "adrenaline rush" caused by an element of risk.
o It is a growing business in the countries of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, etc.) and in South American countries like Peru, Chile and Argentina.
• Pilgrimage
o Is usually a journey to a sacred place. Members of every major religion participate in it Modern pilgrimages include Jerusalem, (site of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus), Vatican , Lourdes in France, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, etc.
How do these countries compare to our country? Do you think we should first get to know our own country before travelling abroad? What do you prefer – CR or going abroad?
Travelling is a big adventure for me, I really love it. Unfortunately, my familly doesn't travel abroad very much. I have been travelling quite a lot since my childhood, because my mother want to visit many places in CR. During the year we used to make many trips to Czech cities and castles. I think that it is important to visit the most interesting places in your country. With my secondary school I visited France and England and it was really amazing.
What are some problems/embarrassing situations/difficulties you may come across in foreign travel?
I think the most common problems in foreign traveling are caused by the loss of things, for example your luggage or suitcases, or you can have some problems with your hotel or travel insurance. Some misunderstanding can be caused by bad knowledge of the language or culture and so on.
What foreign country would you choose to live in? Is there any country you consider a terrible place for living?
If I had this chance I would like to live in USA or Australia
If you had the opportunity to travel around the world, what countries would you definitely want to visit and why?
Do you prefer travelling on your own or having your holiday arranged by a travel agency? Comment on the advantages and disadvatages of both ways.
I don't care about this. Travelling on your own is better because you can plan what you want, you can stay somewhere for longer than you planned at first and so on. The disadvantage is, that you have much work with planning. Having the holiday arranged by a travel agency has just the opposite arguments.
Do you prefer active holidays with lots of touring and sightseeing, or would you rather stay in one place and relax?
What kind of accommodation do you prefer? Have you ever been on a camping holiday? Have you ever slept in the open?
I prefer staying in some hotel or a guest house, it is much more comfortable. Camping holiday has its charm too, but my problem is that every time I sleep in a tent, I am cold. I don't mind it just for a couple of days, for example when I visited festivals with my friends, we slept in a tent for three days and it was quite good.
What trips have you been on with your school? - where, when, how, liked, didn't like, ..
London
Is the capital city of the UK, is situated on the Thames in the southeast of England
History
The history of this city is very old. The Romans built the city in 43 A.D and called it Londinium. After a fire in 61 the town was rebuild again and surrender by a wall. And now, this area within the walls is now called the City of London.
Later London becomes an important port, industrial centre and the seat of kings and queens. For example in 1599 Shakespeare had a theatre there - the Globe. Fourteen years later it burnt down, but it was immediately built anew. London survived plague in 1665 and also the Great fire of 1666. This fire started in bakery and it’s called great fire, because it destroyed almost two thirds of London, because the houses were from wood. In these days, the Monument stands on the place, where the fire broke out.
Nowdays
Now the London is a cosmopolitan city what means there are people of many nationalities.
London consists of tree parts: the original and historical City, West End and the East end. West End is centre of entertainment and East End is an industrial area.
Transport
London Transport is one of the quite quality.
For example most known are red double deck buses.
Another alternative is the underground, or tube, as it is known in London. This tube is the oldies one and one of the most perfect underground networks in the world.
Also black taxis or cabs are another symbol of London but it is a little bit expensive
And after midnight the only way how to travel is by the buses.
Heathrow and Gatwick are huge London airports.
Places of interest and culture:
The Tower of London stands on the north bank of the Thames and its history has been made nearly a thousand years. The White Tower, the oldest part of the Tower, was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078. The other buildings were built until the nineteenth century. The Tower has been put to many uses such as a royal resident, a fortress, a prison, an execution place, a royal treasury and museum. The Bloody Tower used to be a prison, and so did the Green Tower.
There are ravens in the Tower that mustn't leave it, otherwise the Kingdom would fall apart, as the legend says. To make sure they don't leave, their wings are cut short. Today the Tower is a museum of historical weapons and there are coronation jewels.
The Tower Bridge is a great symbol of London. It is the best-known of all the bridges spanning the Thames. The bridge opens in the middle and goes up when huge ships want to pass through.
The Thames Barrier was designed to protect London from flooding.
St Paul's Cathedral is one of the largest in the world. It was built by the architect Sir Christopher Wren in 17th century after the Great Fire. Many famous people are buried there, among others the Duke of Wellington, Horatio Nelson and Sir Christopher Wren himself. Princ Charles and Lady Diana had their wedding ceremony there.
The City of Westminster is a district which occupies about 4 square miles. This is the centre of the administration, with Parliament and Government offices. Old Westminster runs into the modern West End - the shopping centre of Britain with many theatres, cinemas, hotels, restaurants and night clubs.
The Houses of Parliament are officially called the Palace of Westminster. In the middle ages there was a royal palace there, but Henry VIII gave it over to government. There is the Victoria Tower, the highest Gothic tower hi the world and the Clock Tower with the famous bell named after the first Commissioner of Works, Sir Benjamin Hall, Big Ben (it was his nickname). The Clock tower also has a prison cell. The sound of the bell can be heard in the tune on the BBC Radio.
Westminster Abbey is burial place of kings, site of modern coronations.
Buckingham Palace has been the home of the sovereign since Queen Victoria. The Changing of the Guards is one of the biggest London's spectacles and it takes place every day at 11.00 a.m.
Trafalgar Square has a 18-foot high statue of Horatio Nelson resting on a 151-foot high column, and the whole momument dominates the square.
The London Eye is the largest observation wheel in the world (150m high). It was built to celebrate the new millennium. It is operated by the British Airways. The wheel never stops (one turn takes about 30 minutes), and about 200 employees look after it.
The British Museum is the biggest in the world. It contains world-famous collections. The Museum's collections include some six-and-a-half million objects ranging in size from little pieces to colossal statues. It houses the world's largest collections of all kinds of animals, minerals, rocks etc. There is also the colletion of drawings by the Czech artist Vaclav Hollar.
The Tate Gallery holds a major collection of international modern art as well as historic and impressionist works. Nowadays there are mostly modern paintings by important English painters: John Constable, William Hogarth and William John Turner.
Madame Tussaud's Museum holds a collectin of wax figures. It has become a real institution and keeps changing and expanding. The figures look more and more convincing. The famous personalities who have their wax counterpart at Madame Tussaud's include the young Queen Victoria, Picasso, Mrs Thatcher, Joan Collins, members of The Royal Family and The Cabinet, singers and many more.
There are many theatres in Great Britain today. London itself has over 100. The National Theatre is really three theatres: the Cottesloe, the Lyttelton and the Olivier. The Olivier is the biggest of the three theatres with seats for over 1500 people. The National Theatre has its own group of actors called the National Theatre Company.
Theatre the Globe stands on the south bank of the river Thames. If s a faithful reconstruction of Shakespeare's original theatre, that was closed by the Puritans in 1642 and pulled down two years later.
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone.
Greenwich lies to the east of London and offers many attractions in 200 acres. There is also a part of the National Maritime Museum, which has one of the world's biggest collections of boats and navigational equipment.
Hyde Park is a London Royal Park - the biggest London's park.
St James's Park is the oldest of London's parks.
The Royal Botanic Gardens. Orchids and palms are kept in greenhouses.
History
The history of this city is very old. The Romans built the city in 43 A.D and called it Londinium. After a fire in 61 the town was rebuild again and surrender by a wall. And now, this area within the walls is now called the City of London.
Later London becomes an important port, industrial centre and the seat of kings and queens. For example in 1599 Shakespeare had a theatre there - the Globe. Fourteen years later it burnt down, but it was immediately built anew. London survived plague in 1665 and also the Great fire of 1666. This fire started in bakery and it’s called great fire, because it destroyed almost two thirds of London, because the houses were from wood. In these days, the Monument stands on the place, where the fire broke out.
Nowdays
Now the London is a cosmopolitan city what means there are people of many nationalities.
London consists of tree parts: the original and historical City, West End and the East end. West End is centre of entertainment and East End is an industrial area.
Transport
London Transport is one of the quite quality.
For example most known are red double deck buses.
Another alternative is the underground, or tube, as it is known in London. This tube is the oldies one and one of the most perfect underground networks in the world.
Also black taxis or cabs are another symbol of London but it is a little bit expensive
And after midnight the only way how to travel is by the buses.
Heathrow and Gatwick are huge London airports.
Places of interest and culture:
The Tower of London stands on the north bank of the Thames and its history has been made nearly a thousand years. The White Tower, the oldest part of the Tower, was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078. The other buildings were built until the nineteenth century. The Tower has been put to many uses such as a royal resident, a fortress, a prison, an execution place, a royal treasury and museum. The Bloody Tower used to be a prison, and so did the Green Tower.
There are ravens in the Tower that mustn't leave it, otherwise the Kingdom would fall apart, as the legend says. To make sure they don't leave, their wings are cut short. Today the Tower is a museum of historical weapons and there are coronation jewels.
The Tower Bridge is a great symbol of London. It is the best-known of all the bridges spanning the Thames. The bridge opens in the middle and goes up when huge ships want to pass through.
The Thames Barrier was designed to protect London from flooding.
St Paul's Cathedral is one of the largest in the world. It was built by the architect Sir Christopher Wren in 17th century after the Great Fire. Many famous people are buried there, among others the Duke of Wellington, Horatio Nelson and Sir Christopher Wren himself. Princ Charles and Lady Diana had their wedding ceremony there.
The City of Westminster is a district which occupies about 4 square miles. This is the centre of the administration, with Parliament and Government offices. Old Westminster runs into the modern West End - the shopping centre of Britain with many theatres, cinemas, hotels, restaurants and night clubs.
The Houses of Parliament are officially called the Palace of Westminster. In the middle ages there was a royal palace there, but Henry VIII gave it over to government. There is the Victoria Tower, the highest Gothic tower hi the world and the Clock Tower with the famous bell named after the first Commissioner of Works, Sir Benjamin Hall, Big Ben (it was his nickname). The Clock tower also has a prison cell. The sound of the bell can be heard in the tune on the BBC Radio.
Westminster Abbey is burial place of kings, site of modern coronations.
Buckingham Palace has been the home of the sovereign since Queen Victoria. The Changing of the Guards is one of the biggest London's spectacles and it takes place every day at 11.00 a.m.
Trafalgar Square has a 18-foot high statue of Horatio Nelson resting on a 151-foot high column, and the whole momument dominates the square.
The London Eye is the largest observation wheel in the world (150m high). It was built to celebrate the new millennium. It is operated by the British Airways. The wheel never stops (one turn takes about 30 minutes), and about 200 employees look after it.
The British Museum is the biggest in the world. It contains world-famous collections. The Museum's collections include some six-and-a-half million objects ranging in size from little pieces to colossal statues. It houses the world's largest collections of all kinds of animals, minerals, rocks etc. There is also the colletion of drawings by the Czech artist Vaclav Hollar.
The Tate Gallery holds a major collection of international modern art as well as historic and impressionist works. Nowadays there are mostly modern paintings by important English painters: John Constable, William Hogarth and William John Turner.
Madame Tussaud's Museum holds a collectin of wax figures. It has become a real institution and keeps changing and expanding. The figures look more and more convincing. The famous personalities who have their wax counterpart at Madame Tussaud's include the young Queen Victoria, Picasso, Mrs Thatcher, Joan Collins, members of The Royal Family and The Cabinet, singers and many more.
There are many theatres in Great Britain today. London itself has over 100. The National Theatre is really three theatres: the Cottesloe, the Lyttelton and the Olivier. The Olivier is the biggest of the three theatres with seats for over 1500 people. The National Theatre has its own group of actors called the National Theatre Company.
Theatre the Globe stands on the south bank of the river Thames. If s a faithful reconstruction of Shakespeare's original theatre, that was closed by the Puritans in 1642 and pulled down two years later.
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone.
Greenwich lies to the east of London and offers many attractions in 200 acres. There is also a part of the National Maritime Museum, which has one of the world's biggest collections of boats and navigational equipment.
Hyde Park is a London Royal Park - the biggest London's park.
St James's Park is the oldest of London's parks.
The Royal Botanic Gardens. Orchids and palms are kept in greenhouses.
Přihlásit se k odběru:
Příspěvky (Atom)