Read about famous places in London, practise vocabulary and prepositions of place, then write about your dream visit.
Read the text carefully, then answer the questions below.
London is the capital of the United Kingdom and one of the most visited cities in the world. Every year, millions of tourists come to see its famous landmarks.
Big Ben is probably the most famous clock in the world. It stands next to the Houses of Parliament, right beside the River Thames. The clock tower is over 96 metres tall, and you can hear its bell from far away. The tower was actually renamed "Elizabeth Tower" in 2012, but most people still call it Big Ben.
The Tower of London is almost 1,000 years old. William the Conqueror started building it in 1066 after he became King of England. Today, you can see the Crown Jewels there – the diamonds and gold that belong to the royal family. Special guards called "Beefeaters" look after the tower, and there are also famous ravens that live there. People say that if the ravens ever leave, the tower will fall down!
Buckingham Palace is where the King lives and works. It has 775 rooms, including 78 bathrooms! Every day, tourists stand in front of the palace to watch the Changing of the Guard. The soldiers wear tall black hats made of bearskin and red uniforms.
The London Eye is a giant wheel on the South Bank of the Thames, opposite the Houses of Parliament. It is 135 metres tall and has 32 glass capsules. On a clear day, you can see up to 40 kilometres from the top. A ride takes about 30 minutes.
Tower Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges in London. It was built between 1886 and 1894. The middle part of the bridge can open to let tall ships pass through. It opens about 800 times a year! Tower Bridge is near the Tower of London – that is why it has the same name.
Answer in full sentences.
Choose the correct word for each gap. Use information from the reading text to help you.
1. Every year, millions of (1) visit London to see its famous landmarks.
2. Big Ben is a famous clock (2) next to the Houses of Parliament.
3. You can see the Crown (3) at the Tower of London.
4. The famous (4) must never leave the Tower of London.
5. Buckingham (5) is where the King lives.
6. Tourists love to watch the Changing of the (6) at Buckingham Palace.
7. The London Eye has 32 glass (7) where passengers can enjoy the view.
8. Tower (8) can open in the middle to let tall ships pass through.
Choose the correct preposition to complete each sentence about London.
1. Big Ben stands (1) the Houses of Parliament.
2. The Tower of London is (2) Tower Bridge.
3. The London Eye is (3) the South Bank of the Thames.
4. Tourists stand (4) Buckingham Palace to watch the guards.
5. The London Eye sits (5) the Houses of Parliament, on the other side of the river.
6. The Crown Jewels are kept (6) the Tower of London.
7. The clock tower is right (7) the River Thames.
8. Westminster Bridge runs (8) the South Bank and the Houses of Parliament.
Imagine you are spending one day in London. Write a short text (6–8 sentences) about what you would do. Use the landmarks from Exercise A and some prepositions of place.
Think about: Which places would you visit? What would you see there? What would you eat? Who would you go with?
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