Перевод текста LONDON 1. London is where the invading Romans first crossed the River Thames. They built a city a square mile in size, surrounded it with a wall and called it Londinium. This original site of London is now called the City of London1 and is Britain’s main financial centre.2. The City is only a very small part of London. In the eleventh century London began to expand beyond the City walls when King Edward the Confessor2 built a huge abbey at Westminster. Even today, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, as well as the shops, cafes, theatres and cinemas of the West End, are in the City of Westminster and not in the City of London.
3. The saying “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” (Dr. Johnson) is a cliche, but you can’t be bored3 in London. There are hundreds of historic buildings, galleries and museums. There are parks and street markets, over 80 theatres and even more cinemas.
4. If you want to discover London, it is best to start with a tour on a sightseeing bus. It is also fun to go on a guided walk. The walks last up to three hours.
5. The centre of London has many different areas. Each one has its own special character. Covent Garden4 in London West End, is crowded with cafes, clubs and clothes shops. Soho4 is also known for its clubs. Knightsbridge4 has a lot of exclusive and expensive shops, as well as many of the embassies. Fleet Street4 is the home of Law Courts. One part of the West End has so many Chinese shops and restaurants that is called Chinatown.
6. When you go outside the centre you find many areas which used to be small villages. The villages became part of the city when they expanded but they still managed to keep their village character. Hampstead4, the best known of the villages, is extremely expensive.