MATURITNÍ OTÁZKY DO ANGLIČTINY

Places of interests in UK

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Southern England
Brighton lies on the southern coast of England. It is a famous seaside for holidaymakers.
In Canterbury there is the famous cathedral with the grave of the archbishop Thomas Beckett who was murdered there. Thanks to this event, the cathedral was a popular destination for pilgrims from all over Europe.
Brighton - a beach resort
Bath is a health spa with warm springs used since Roman times
Salisbury Plains are famous for a place called Stonehenge. These are giant stones in a circle. They are assumed to be 3000 years old. Nobody knows why it was build. It could have been an observatory, a calendar or a place for ceremonies.
The coast of Cornwall is called “English Riviera”. There are sandy beaches and palm trees.

Central England
Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
Oxford has been a university town since 12th century. It lies on the river Thames. a popular means of transport especially for students is bicycle. Today there are 35 colleges.
Cambridge lies on the river Cam and it´s university town as well. Those two universities are big rivals and every year they organise rowing competitions.

Northern England
Liverpool. This industrial town is famous as the birthplace of Beatles. It became one of the world´s greatest pots.
In York there is the largest Gothic cathedral. Around AD 122 Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered a Hadrian’s Wall to be built to keep out enemies.
The Lake District is a National Park. There are many lakes. The biggest one is Lake Windermere.

Scotland
Loch Ness is the most famous lake in the Highland region by fame about Loch Ness monster.
Glasgow is an industrial city and a seaport; it is the largest city of Scotland.

LONDON
London is the capital of the UK. It is the 9. largest city in the world. London is situated on the river Thames in south-east England. It was founded by the Roman settlement. The great fire in 1666 destroyed almost all the city. There is the oldest underground in the world (in England called tube).

The city is the oldest part of London. There are many banks and offices.
The British Museum is renowned for its vast collection of world art and artifacts. It hosts one of the most comprehensive collections in the world.
In the Natural History Museum there are expositions of dinosaurs or gemstones.
The Tower of London. This building dates back to the 11th century. Although today the Tower of London is a famous tourist attraction, in the past it was a fortress, a palace, a prison, and even a place where money was made. Today the Tower is home to the famous black ravens, the Crown jewels, and the Beefeaters in their colorful uniforms. Every evening at 10 p.m., tourists can watch the famous ceremony of the keys, when the tower is locked for the night.
The Tower Bridge stands next to the Tower. It is the most famous bridge of London.
Trafalgar Square was named in honor of Admiral Nelson´s victory and death at the Battle of Trafalgar. The statue of Admiral Nelson stands at the top of nelson´s Column. The square is the place where all big political demonstrations are held.
The famous National Gallery forms one side of Trafalgar Square.
Buckingham Palace is home of the Monarch. It was originally built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham.
Greenwich is the seat of the National Maritime Museum where the Royal Observatory is.
Houses of Parliament. After an old building had burnt was built a new one. The only part, which escaped the fire, was Westminster Hall. There is also famous clock-tower with Big Ben.
Downing Street 10 is the official home of British Prime Minister since 1731
Westminster Abbey is a gothic cathedral dating from 11th century. Britain´s Kings and Queens are crowned here. It is also place where many state occasions and royal weddings take place
St. Paul´s Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. It is seat of the Bishop of London and it is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. The latter was destroyed in the Great Fire.
Whitehall is the street, where government offices are. Horse Guards Parades takes place there.
Famous shopping centers in London are Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Piccadilly Circus which is the busiest and noisiest place in London. It is always crowded by people and traffic.
London has many parks too. The most famous is Hyde Park.

IRELAND

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Ireland is one of the British Isles and lies in the Atlantic Ocean to the west of Great Britain.
Ireland is divided into the Northern Ireland (capital is Belfast) and the Republic of Ireland (capital is Dublin).
The main river of Ireland is the Shannon, which is an important source of hydroelectric power.
The climate is typically insular, mild and wet, similar to that of UK. But Ireland is more exposed to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and warm Gulf Stream. Frequent rains most of the island earned about beautiful green - consequently Ireland is called ‘the Emerald isle”.

Economy of GB

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Economy:
Britain lives by manufacture and trade. Its agriculture provides only half the food it needs. The other half of its food, have to be imported. The main agricultural areas are Scotland and Wales.
Large parts of Britain are suitable only for grazing. There is also grown wheat, barley, sugar beet, potatoes etc. The southern part of England is called green country. There are meadows, orchards and vineyards. World-known British cattle and sheep breeding earn lots of money.

The important centers are:
Yorkshire - coal mining, clothing, and woolen industry
London - food, textile industry, light engineering
Manchester - cotton, textile industry, chemical industry, engineering, coal mining
South Wales - engineering
Liverpool - food industry, shipbuilding
Glasgow - shipyards
Coventry - car industry (Jaguar)

History UK

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History:
The first inhabitants came to Britain about 5000 BC. They were the small groups of the hunters. Next villagers came to Britain from Europe in the Bronze Age. They were the tribes of Celts.
In 55 BC the Romans came to Britain, they built roads and forts throughout the land; the most famous is Hadrian´s Wall, which was stand up against the invasion of Celtic tribes. It lies across England near the Scottish border. Romans brought Christianity to Britain.
In the 5th century the Germanic tribes of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes came and pushed the Celts.
One of the most important kings was William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, who defeated King Harold in the Battle of Hastings. He established a strong central government and appointed Norman nobleman to high positions. He made London the capital town and built the Tower of London. In this time the Norman and Anglo-Saxon language and customs merged.
In 1215 King John signed the Magna Charta and in the 13th century the parliamentary system developed.
Between 1338 and 1453 there was the Hundred Years’ War against France.
The War of Roses was a civil wars between the House of Lancaster (red rose) and the House of York (white rose).
The other famous sovereign was Henry VIII. He became king in 17 years. He had six wives. His three children were Mary, Elizabeth and Edward.
Marry I was the first Queen Regnant. An Act of Parliament had declared her illegitimate and removed her from the succession to the throne. She married to Spanish King Philip and when she died, her sister Elizabeth became Queen.
Elizabeth I was daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She defeated the Spanish Armada and it was founded the first English colony in North America, called it Virginia in honour of the Queen. And also whole period of her reign was named after her.
In 1603 the Scottish King James VI became King James I of England and both countries were linked.
From 1642 to 1649, there was a Civil War and Oliver Cromwell declared England a republic.
Victoria is another Queen who had the whole period of reign named after her. During her long rule she made some African and Asian regions part of her Empire. 20 years after her death, in 1921, Ireland declared independence.

National symbols

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The British national flag is called the Union Jack or the British Union flag. It represents the three kingdoms of the UK and it is made up of three crosses: England (the red cross of St George), Scotland (the diagonal white cross of St. Andrew) and Northern Ireland (the diagonal red cross of St Patrick). The crosses are on a blue background. The flag in its present form first appeared in 1801. Wales is not represented because when the flag first appeared it was already united with England, but its own symbol is the dragon.
The British national anthem is “God Save the Queen”.
The national emblem is The Royal Standard. The Standard has four quartering. Two is for England and there are three lions, one is for Scotland and there is a lion too. Ireland has one quartering with a harp. Wales is not represented in the Standard.
Country Patron saints Symbol
England St. George red rose
Wales St. David daffodil
Scotland St. Andrew thistle
Ireland St. Patrick shamrock

Political system of GB

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Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. The head of the state is the King or the Queen, who reigns, but doesn’t rule. The sovereign has only the representative function. But The Opening of Parliament can be done only by the sovereign. The Queen has the right to assemble and dissolve the Parliament. She is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and follows the advice of the Cabinet.
The British Parliament is one of the oldest in the world. In Northern Ireland, the sovereign is represented by a governor. The Parliament includes sovereign, the House of Lords (Upper House) and House of Commons (Lower House).
Members of Upper House are hereditary members and lifetime peers (doživotní šlechtici), archbishops, and bishops. Its main role is to adopt laws and its head is Lord Chancellor. Parliament bases in Edinburg.
Members of the Lower House (650) are elected every five years in General election. The party that wins the majority of seats in Parliament forms a Government. The part that lost forms the Shadow Cabinet. Ministers are appointment by Queen and made the Cabinet. The head of the government is the Prime Minister. The Lower House has 650members, but there are only 370seats. They aren’t seat always together. The main work is to examine work of Government. The presiding member of the House of Commons is The Speaker.
The Constitution of the UK is unwritten. It is based on custom, tradition and common law. There are two main political parties: the Labour Party (left) and the Conservative Party (right).
The British Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of Great Britain and its former colonies in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The Queen of England is the formal head in 17 dominions, e.g. Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
UK is a member of NATO, UNESCO and the EU.
The valid currency in Britain is one pound, which has hundred pence

Geographic GB

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The island of Great Britain can be divided into two lowlands and highlands.
Lowlands covers the midland, southern and eastern England.
The most mountainous area is Scotland. It may be divided into three regions: the Highlands in the north, the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands. The Highlands of Scotland include Caledonian Mountains and Grampian Mountains, which are divided by the Caledonia Canal (Glen-Moore valley). In the Grampian Mountains we can find the highest British peak Ben Nevis. The Southern Uplands and the Cheviot Hill are situated on the border with England.
England is mostly rolling land, rising to the Uplands of the southern Scotland. The main mountain regions here are the Cornish Heights in the south-west England; the Pennines which is called the Backbone of England, the Cumbrian Mounts I the north, and the Lake District.
In Wales there are situated Cambrian Mountains with its highest peak Snowdon. CM covers the whole Wales.
The longest river is the Severn and the biggest river is Thames. Other rivers of British Islands are the Avon, the Cam, the Tyne, the Humber and the Trent. Many of the rivers are canalized and linked with other river systems in a complex system dating from the Industrial Revolution. Rivers are very important as source of energy.
The greatest number of lakes can be found in Northern Scotland and in the Lake District. The bigger British lake is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland. The most famous lakes are Loch Ness and Loch Lomond.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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The British Isles are formed by the two major islands of Great Britain and Ireland and more than 5 000 small islands. The official name of England, Scotland and Wale together with Northern Ireland is “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”. The UK is surrounded by the North Sea, Irish Sea, and Atlantic Ocean and on the south there is the La Manche Channel that divides England and France.
The most important British islands are the Isle of Man, than there is the Shetland, the Hebrides, and the Orkneys.
Its area is about 244 755 square miles.
The population of the UK is more than 60 million, taking into account emigration and immigration. Most inhabitants live in urban areas and about 7 million live in London. The density of population of UK is one of the highest in the world - 232 people to square kilometer.
Unemployment is low (4.8%). On the negative side, 17% of the population is living below the poverty line.
We can find there the following ethnic groups: English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Ulster, Indian, Pakistan and others.
The official language is English, but in some areas people speak Welsh or Gaelic. The currency in this state is pound sterling.
English people keep driving in left; they use their original currency and use old measuring units such as pints, miles, yards, pounds, feet etc.
The British are mostly protestant. It was Henry VIII who split UK from the Roman Catholic Church and in 1543 established the Church of England.
British are conservative and like traditions. They are famous for their sense of humour.
For Scottish is typical wearing national dresses kilt and bagpipes. They are very mean and drink whiskey. The Irish hate English.
The British like spending their leisure time with the family, pets in their houses. They say: "My house my castle." They have good table manners.

William Shakespeare

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William Shakespeare

The great English dramatic also lived there most of his life. His dramatic plays were acted in the geobe. Theathre. The popular theatre was demolished in 1644.
The house of Shakespeare’s London was build very close to one another. They were made of wood. On Saturday the 2nd in September 1666, there was a big fire of London. In started in the House of the Kings baker in Budding Lane, near London Bridge. The fire burned until Thursday most of London was destroyed. Many people last their homes.
His earliest plays are the three parts of Henry VI and a history play

- Richard III - The Midsummer Nights Dream
- The Comedy of Errors - The Merchant of Venice
- The Taming of Shrew - Hamlet
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona - Othello
- Love's Labour's Lost - King Lear
- Romeo and Juliet - Macbeth
- Antony and Cleopatra - The Merry Wiver of Windsor

WASHINGTON D. C.

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INTERESTING PLACES IN THE U. S. A.

Mount Rushmore

In the Black Hills of South Dakota four famous faces stare out of the face of a granite cliff. The faces of four American Presidents - George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt are carved into he mountain. The sculptor Borglum began work in 1927. The Mount Rushmore Memorial took 14 years to complete. Borglum died shortly before it was done. His son finished the work. The granite sculptures can be seen from a distance of 96 km.

The Statue of Liberty
This famous statue stands in New York on the Liberty Island. It was designed as a woman who holds a burning torch up in her right hand, and in her left hand she has a book of law with the date 4th of July, 1776 (inscribed in it). She wears a copper crown. The statue was designed by the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The framework (supporting construction) was designed by the French engineer Alexander Eiffel who later built the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The statue was given as a gift to the American people from the people of France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the alliance of the Americans and the French in the War of Independence against England. In 1776 France helped the American colonies gain independence from England.

Americans designed and built the pedestal for the statue to stand on. The American people raised money to pay for the pedestal. On the base of the pedestal, it says “…I lift my lamp beside the golden door”.

The height of the statue itself is 46 m, together with the pedestal it’s 93 m tall. The pedestal stands on the star – shaped wall, which is the part of the fort.
The visitors can go inside the statue. There’s a museum inside the basement of the pedestal and 12 people can stand inside the torch.

The statue of liberty welcomes immigrants and visitor to this land.

The statue was first put up in Paris on July 4, 1884. Then it was disassembled and shipped to America. It was completed 2 years later, when the pedestal had been finished.
On October 28, 1886 it was assembled again and rededicated. It has been restored several times.

WASHINGTON D. C.

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SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco was founded by the Spanish Missioners. It’s second largest city in California. It was completely (thoroughly) damaged by earthquake. Here is the famous Gold Gate Bridge. In the street you can see cable cars.

LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas lies in Nevada. It is visited by more than 12 million visitors annually. They want to get rich quick, in its casinos. They are also going to see many famous signers, comedians, dancers, and musicians in its hotels and nightclubs.

Freemont Street is one the oldest and best-known Streets in the cities. It’s full of sunshine during the day and full of bright neon lights at night.

BEVERLY HILLS
Beverly Hills is a suburb of L. A. It’s one of the wealthiest areas of L. A. Many movies stars, pop singers and people with highly paid jobs like doctors and businessmen live there.

The center of L. A. has many problems with drugs, gangs and crime.

CHICAGO
Chicago, one of the most beautiful and highly developed cities in the U. S. A. It’s a very famous town with many skyscrapers. The tallest skyscraper of the world is the Sears Tower (520 m) can be found here.

WASHINGTON D. C.

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WASHINGTON D. C.

Washington D.C. is the capital of the U.S.A. For more than 200 years it has been the seat of the Government headed by the President. The home of the President is the White House.

The first President to live there was John Adams, second President of the U. S. A., who moved there in 1800.
There are very many rooms in the house, such as the famous Lincoln room, the oval room, the red, blue and green rooms, the state dining room.
The White House is a national monument. It has 132 rooms and the President with his family lives in the two upper floors.

Another Government building is the Capitol. It is the residence of the Congress and the Supreme Court.

THE OTHER MONUMENTS
The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial.
On the river Potomac there is the largest office - building in the world called Pentagon. Near the river is the Arlington National Cemetery, where the thousands of soldiers, J. F. Kennedy and his brother Robert are buried. There is a famous Smithsonian Institution (it consists of 15 museums). There is the famous J. F. Kennedy center for performance art. There is opera performance, dramas,…
In Washington D. C. there are 4 universities:

1. Georgetown University
2. Howard University for the black

Universities in England

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Universities in England
The English University The English Universities can be divided into three groups:
A. Oxford and Cambridge /Oxbridge/ are the oldest universities Oxford was founded in the 12th century and Cambridge in the 13th century.
B. Redbrick Universities /in the 19th century/ /London, Manchester/ provided technological training in industrial areas. The basic qualification for university admission is the GSCE at "A" level.
C. Other universities.

UNDERGRADUATES are those students who study for a degree of BACHELOR /3 or 4 years/
a) of ATRS B.A.
b) of Science B.Sc

The title is put after a name.

GRADUATES are students who got the degrees B.A. or B.Sc. If graduates go on their studies the can get the degree of Master /they must work on a thesis at least for one year/ they get the title M.A. or M. Sc.

CAMBRIDGE: is situated 80 km north of London. The beautiful architecture of college buildings, wonderful gardens, bridges over the river Cam attracts its inhabitants the students and visitors. The oldest of college include Clare, Trinity Hall, Corpus Christie /14 century/ The first scholars arrived in the 13th century.

COLLEGES: Peterhouse, Trinity College, and Christ Church. Royal is not only build the Colleges, they were educated here. Here were educated Lord Byron, Isaac Newton.

The U. S. A

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11. The Southern states
It is mainly agrienltural region, where cotton and tobacco are grown.
STATES: Georgia, Alabama, Lousiana, Mississippi, Virginia, Kentucky etc.
In the past the slave trade started here. The Negro slaves were used to work on the cotton and tobacco plantations. Racial problem still exist by now.
The state of Florida is different from the other states. There are pine forests, orang plantations and the beautiful beaches. There are often hurricanes which cause great damage.

12. South-West
-of the U. S. A includes Texas, the largest state of the federation, famous for its oil, prairies and cattle ranches. There are also New Mexico and Arizhona where many Indians still live in reservationas. The South-West wwith its extensive deserts is characterised by the lack of rain and extreme temperatures during summer. The famous Grand Canyon is situated in the region.

13. West
Washington, Oregon, Wyoning, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Nevada and California. There are also called Rocky mountains states. These states are thinly populated with the exeption of cities. Here are the world famous national parks visited by thousands of tourist. The most important cities are: San Francisco, Los Angeles.
In. L. A. there is a famous district – Hollywood – centre of motion – picture industry.
The other touristic centers: Florida, Hawai, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands with beautiful beaches. Winter sports resorts can be seen in the Rockz Mozuntains and in New England. The most attractive natural wonders are the Niagara Falls. These are shared bz Canada and U.S.A.

The U. S. A

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8. Characteristics of the region north-east:
It is rich in raw materials and minerals. The most important products are: metal, steel, glass, oil, natural gas, coal.
Chicago and Detroit are the biggest industrial centers (aircraft industry).

9. The northern past
Is called New England. It includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is the region where some of the first colonists settled. They are Pilgrim Fathers. They came from England in 17 century (1607). They had to escape to religious persecution and they found a new home country in America (Thanksgiving day).
In the New England there are two famous universities: Harvard (established in 1636) and Yale (1701). They are private universities.

10. Midwest
There are vast plains where wheat is grown. It is a highly developed agriculture region. There are often tomatoes.
STATES: Minnesota, Iowa, Nebrasco, Illinois, Missouri, Cansas, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, …

The U. S. A

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The U. S. A

1. Where is the U. S. A situated?
It lies between the Pacific Ocean (on the west) and the Atlantic Ocean (on the east). It covers the considerable (on great) part of North America.
-nearly as large as Europe
It is bounded: - to the north - by Canada
- to the south - by Mexico and Straits of Florida

2. How many people live in the U. S. A?
It is a home of more than 243 million people.

3. What origin are the people (is the population) of the U. S. A?
They are mostly of European origin. But there are people of Alps-American, American Indian. Japanese, Chinese and other origin.

4. Which is the official language?
The official language is English and there are many minority language (Spanish, Chinese,…)

5. How many states does the U. S. A consist of?
It consist of 50 states.

6. Which is the most densely populated part of the U. S. A?
It is North-Eastern part (for example: States of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, etc.)

7. Which are the greatest cities?
There are New York (14 million people), the capital the U. S. A Washington D. C. in the territory of Virginia.

The traditional English meals

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The traditional English meals

The traditional English meals are:
- beefsteak with roast /fried/ potatoes in their jackets and vegetables
- a roast point of meat /beef, pork, lamb/ with roast potatoes and vegetables
- roast lamb with mint sauce
- roast pork with apple sauce /the sauces do not cover the meat but accompany it/
- stew /a dish of meat and vegetables cooked very slowly/
- yorkshire pudding made of butter /a mixture of flour, eggs milk and salt/

For the dessert they have:
- pies with sweet filling and covered with a pastry crust /apple pies with custard or cream/
- pies with meat filling /kidney/ with beer/

The Americans never eat much for lunch. They have some soup or a salad. They are also fond of sandwiches and hamburgers /especially the youngsters/, French fries cheeseburgers, chicken-burgers. Most Americans have lunch between 12-2. Some people prefer to take lunch from home. Some people like to eat at fast food chains, like McDonalds, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken. They are less expensive and dressy than fine restaurants. There are people who eat constantly /suffer from bulimia/ and others are figure-conscious /weight-watchers/. They try so cut down on sugar and fat intake. They often keep to a diet. The English people don’t say "Good appetite" before meals. The English quite often go out to restaurants, pubs, cafes: Pakistani, Indian, Chinese, French, Italian, Greek restaurants are all over in England. Shoppers can have their meal in the supermarkets where there are snack bars, diners providing eatching. Young people prefer to go to snack bars and espresso coffe bars. Women like convenience food, which is ready to cook and eat. Its popular to buy hots take-away Chinese or Indians meals to consume them at home. Its cheater then cooking a meal. In Britain you can buy fish and chips as a take-away food.

The system of government

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The system of government

The system of Government is based on the principles written in the Constitution (signed in 1787). The political power is divided into 3 branches:

1. the Executive power is represented by the president of U.S.A. He is elected for 4 years. He recommends programs and laws to congress.

2. the Legislative Branch is represented by the Congress. The Congress is divided into 2 parts: a) the senate
b) the House of Representatives
Each Senator is elected for 6 years. Each of the 50 states elects two Senators.

3. the Judicial Branch is headed by the Supreme Court (which consists of the Chief Justice of the U.S. and light Associate Justices).
He current president Bill Clinton is the 42nd. He appoints federal judges, ambassadors.
The Congress must approve bills.

SIGHTS
1. from the Liberty Island you can take a short boat ride to Ellis Island, where is the Immigration Museum.

2. Empire State Building – it is famous for its starring role in the movie: „King-Kong“. In the stormy weather it sways about 2 cm. Many people feel dizzy (because of air-conditioning people suffer from illnesses).
It takes you up to 80th flows in 1 minute. You can climb 1860 steps.
In 1945 the bomber B25 crashed into the 78th (79) floors, where 13 people were killed. The building remained.

The history of the U. S. A

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The history of the U. S. A
Vikings discovered America probably around the year 1000 A. D., but didn’t establish any settlement. Later (1492) explorer Columbus discovered the American continent.

The colonization began when the Pilgrims settled in New England (1620). They were followed by thousands of colonists from Europe. They were persecuted because of their religion. So they had to escape.

At first 13. colonist were formed were under the British control. Later the colonist didn’t want to be dependent on Britain. The British parliament passed some acts in which the place taxes on goods exported to America: glass, paper, and tea. The result of these acts was a growing protests which ended with a very famous event called Boston tea party (1773).

A group of Americans dressed them selves as Indians and they threw bags a tea into Boston Harbor. In protest of unfair taxes.
This event let to the American Revolutionary War. (1775).

A year later the colonial representatives declared independence (1776) from the king of England. A very important document was signed – DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENTS.

The chief general George Washington became the first president of U.S.A.

In 1787 the constitution war signed between the Northern and Southern parts a sharp difference arose (started).
The American Civil War broke out in 1861, it ended in 1864.

The president Abraham Lincoln, who brought it to the victory, let the northern army.
After the war the slavery was abolished in 1863.

The prosperity of the country rapidly increased.

The U.S.A. didn’t enter the World War II. Until the Japanese attacked on the Pearl Harbor. After the war an enormous development began.

In the 60-tis the civil right movement and later against the war in Vietnam was very strong. Two personalities were assassinated (J. F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King). The last president of the U.S.A. is William Clinton reelected in ’96.

ROMEO AND JULIET

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ROMEO AND JULIET
Is about the unhappy love and death of Romeo and Juliet.
The only children of two powerful houses of Verona. The House of Montaque and the House of Caplet. This two houses hate each other.
Romeo meets Juliet at the ball. He fells in love with her although he knows that she is Caplet. They love each other very much and ask Friar Lourence to merry them.
Their love and marriage are secret and by unfortunate accident Romeo kills Tybalt, who is Juliets cousin. Prince of Verona sends Romeo to the exile outside Verona and young Juliet is forced to get married to young nobleman called Paris. She asks Friar Laurence for help again and he gives her magic drops after which she fells asleep for several hours and looks as if she where died. Romeo learns about Juliet’s death in Mantua and hurries to the Caplets monument in a churchyard. He doesn’t know about the trick and kills himself. Soon after that Juliet wakes up and when she saw Romeo death she kills herself too.
Both houses reconciliate only after the death of their beloved children.

W. Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet

Juliet:
"Conceit, more rich in mather than in words
Brags of his substance, not ornament
They are but beggars that can count their worth,
But my true love is grown to such excess,
I cannot sum up half my sum of wealth."

"Cit bohatší je ako ľudská reč.
Sám sebou krásny je, nie ozdôbkami.
Kto poráta, čo má, je iba žobrák,
Lež moja nemá láska vzrástla tak,
Že poklady jej nikdy nespočítam."

Stratford upon Aron
Shakespeare’s birthplace. There are many beautiful timber-framed houses from the 15th and 16th century. The most important building are the church where Shakespeare is buried. Is buried the cottage of his wife and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with attractive gardens. His birthplace is called New Place.

NEW YORK

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The Brooklyn Bridge is the longest in the world. It connects Brooklyn to Manhattan Island. The Brooklyn Bridge is the masterwork of the 19th-century engineering. It was the first bridge to use for cable wire. In the New York City Harbour there is the Statue of Liberty with her torch, standing on Liberty Island. It is 92 meters high including its pedestal. The statue itself weighs 225 tons. It was donated to the American people by France in 1886 to commemorate the alliance between the U.S.A. and France during the American Revolution. The Statue symbolizing freedom and democracy was the first sight for immigrants who were coming to the U.S.A. in 19th and 20th centuries. Another interesting place for visitors of New York is the Fifth Avenue famous for its luxurious shops, jewelry, and office buildings. It runs six miles through the city. There is also St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest Roman Catholic church. Equally famous is Broadway, an old Indian road. Most of theatres, including the well known Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall, many cinemas and bars are concentrated on Broadway.

People coming to New York City like to visit Chinatown with its restaurants serving typical Chinese food. A unique atmosphere is characteristic of Greenwich village, the home of artists, writers, actors and musicians. Central Park is the largest and most important park in New York City. It was officially opened for public in 1876. It offers both summer and winter attractions, such as a zoo, an ice--skating rink, an open-air theatre, tennis courts, biking paths, children’s playgrounds, concerts and dances. There is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the park.

NEW YORK

2008-10-29T16:32:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK

New York is the largest city in the U.S.A. and one of the largest and most fascinating cities of the world. Its present population is more than 14 million people. It is an important seaport, with a good connection with inland, and the largest business, industrial and cultural center of the U.S.A. It is also the center of the art world, the media world, the theatre world and the fashion world. New York, originally called New Amsterdam, was a little Dutch town built on a small part of Manhattan. In 1626 the Dutch colonizers bought the island from Indians for 24 dollars in goods. After the War of Independence, New York was the capital of the U.S.A. for four years. One of the most impressive views of New York City is the typical Manhattan skyline, seen from Liberty Island, which is dominated by a number of skyscrapers. The tallest of them are Trade Center Buildings having 110 stories. There are many famous attractions in New York City. One of them, the Empire State Building, built in 1931, was also called “the eight wonder of the world”. It has 102 stories a TV tower famous place is Rockefeller Center, a large business and entertainment complex of 21 buildings, mostly skyscrapers.

New Zealand

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New Zealand

HISTORICAL NOTES:
The first people to settle in New Zealand were Polynesian tribesthe Maories before AD 1000. New Zealand was discovered that it was a group of islands. Some English missionaries arrived in NZ in 1814. There were disputes between Maories and British settlers over land ownership, which led to war. The war lasted about 10 years. In 1907 was granded the status of a Dominion.

GEOGRAPHY:
NZ consists of two large islands:
1. North Island
2. South Island
NZ is larger than GB, but the density of population is very low. All the large towns lie on the eastern coast.

RELIEF:
The country is mountainous, there is very little flat land. The North Island is famous for its hot springs, geysers and watering places. The termal activity of the volcanic area is very spectacular. The South Islands has fertile plains and high mountains, the Southern Alps. There are glaciers and fiords in the west. The highest peak is Mount Cook 3764 m. The Southern Alps provides excellent opportunities for skiing and mountaineering.

RIVERS AND LAKES:
Many of the rivers are short. NZ has many lakes, the largest of which Lake Tanpo, is also in the North Island.

CLIMATE:
NZ has a very pleasant, healthy temperature climate with plenty of sunshine with warm summers and mild winters.

NATURAL RESOURES:
NZ has OIL, NATURAL GAS, COAL, SULPHAT, and GOLD. It has also extensive forests.

POPULATION:
The majority of the population is of British origin. The native people are the Maories.
Hamilton – the largest city (on the North Island)

AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY
New Zealand is specialized on livestock breeding (cattle, sheep)

LONDON (IT´S PLACES OF INTEREST)

2008-10-29T16:31:00.001-07:00

THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
The houses of Parliament in a gothic style, and standing on the left bank of the river Thames, are not very old buildings.
They were built in the 19th century. One part of the original building - West minister Hall - is still there today, at far end of the new building.
HYDE PARK

One of the greatest and finest parks in London. It is the place where Londoners use to go for a walk or for a rest or for a sport. The large areas, tall trees, benches, deck chairs, that is the picture of Hyde Park.

Hyde Park is an ideal place for picnic. A small space, just a few hundred square meters called speaker’s corner - this is the only noisy and busy place in Hyde park.
Speaker’s Corner is a place where you can come and speak about or listen to different topics: politics, economics, religion, international relations.

DOWNING STREET No. 10
It is the address in London where you can find residence of the British Prime Minister. Every British Prime Minister lives at Downing Street No. 10.

BIG BEN
Big Ben is the name given to the clock and bell of the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The clock has four faces.

BAKER STREET
Many tourist visit 221 Baker Street and they ask to see Mr. Holmes. A lot of letters come to this address every day. People hope, that Mr. Holmes is still a life.

THE TOWER
Is the oldest historical building in London. The oldest part of the Tower is the WHITE TOWER. The tower served to many purposes. It was the prison, fortress and royal palace. Now there is a museum where the exhibition of Crown Jewels can be seen.

TRAFALGAR SQUARE
In the year 1805 admiral Nelson defected Napoleon and his army. In memory to Nelson a big column was build in the middle of the square. To their feature of the square are the fountains, pigeons and many people.

PICCADILLY CIRCUS
It is another poplar sguare in London. For many people it is the heart of London. During the night it is more beautiful than during the day.

LONDON (IT´S PLACES OF INTEREST)

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LONDON (IT´S PLACES OF INTEREST)

From the history of London.
The Romans came to England in 43 BC They built the town on the river Thames. The name of the town was LONDONIUM. The Romans choose a good place for the town - it was easy to cross the river there Londonium got bigger and bigger. Ships came to the town from all over Europe. The Romans built roads from Londonium to other parts of Britain. Soon after 500 AD the Romans left Britain.

1066 - WILLIAM CONQUEROR came to England. He came from Normandy in France. He became the king of England and lived in London. He was afraid of people of London. He had a building built for himself - THE WHITE TOWER OF LONDON. All the queens and king of England lived London. It was the big guest town in England.
William Shakespeare, the great English dramatics also lived there most of his life. His dramatics plays were acted in the Globe Theatre. The popular theatre was demolished in 1644.
The house of Shakespeare’s London was built very close to one another. They were made of wood. On Saturday, the 2nd in September 1666, there was a big fire of London. It started in the house of the king’s baker in Pudding lane, near London bridge. The fire burned until Thursday Most of London was destroyed. Many people lost their homes.

WESTMINSTER ABBEY
One of the finest - examples of early gothic architecture. In Westminster Cathedral all the English monarchies have been crowned. Among the famous person buried here are. Queen Elizabeth I., Mary Stuart - the Queen of Scots, Isaac Newton, Darwin, Dickens.

THE CITY
It is the oldest part of LONDON. It is his historical center.