Title: London attractions
Course: Our class trip to London

The Houses of Parliament

1. The Houses of Parliament with Big Ben - The Houses of Parliament is the place where laws governing British life are debated and enacted. The building originates from 1840 after a fire destroyed the previous building. The Gothic style was designed by Sir Charles Barry with help from A.W. Pugin. Parliamentary tradition is steeped in pomp, ceremony and splendour. The Queen rides in her State coach to Westminster to open each new session of Parliament, usually in the second week in November. A word of caution; in the summer months it can get pretty congested with tourists and traffic competing to cross Parliament Square. During the Summer Opening visitors can buy tickets to tour Parliament. It is arranged during the summer recess, when Parliament does not sit and Members work away from Westminster. Tours run from Monday to Saturday inclusive, but not on Sundays or Bank Holidays. Tours take about 75 minutes. The 2009 opening will run from Monday 3 August to Saturday 3 October. Tel: 020 7219 4272. Hotels near Houses of Parliament The Houses of Parliament contain the bell Big Ben that strikes on the quarter hour. A light in the clock tower tells when the House of Commons is in session. `Big Ben` - the ornate, gilded clock tower, strictly speaking refers only to the thirteen-ton main bell. It takes its name either from the original Commissioner of Works, Benjamin Hall, or a popular heavyweight boxer of the time, Benjamin Caunt.

True or false?

1. In summer many tourists visit The Houses of Parlament.

- True
Feedback: Excellent!
- False
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Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge - One of the most famous London attractions and just over a hundred years old, the Tower Bridge with its twin drawbridges, or bascules, each weighing about 1,000 tons have been raised more then half a million times since it was built. It takes only 90 seconds for the bascules to be raised with electric motors which replaced the old steam engines. From Tower Bridge you can view HMS Belfast, an 11,500-ton cruiser that opened the bombardment of the Normandy coast on D-Day. The closest tube stations are, Tower Hill and London Bridge. Open : daily 10am-6:30pm; Nov-March 10am-5:15pm. Tel: 0207 403 3761.

Text adapted from: http://www.londonforfun.com/Top-10-London-attractions.html

Read the text and write the correct answer:

What is a bascule?

- an electric motor
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- a steam engine
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- a drawbridge
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- a tube
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London Eye

London Eye - Based on the bank of the River Thames near Waterloo Station this is a spectacle well worth a visit. This London attraction will blow your mind away. Basically it is the biggest observation wheel in the world, hence its name. It will, over 30 minutes, make a full circle and thus give you a splendid view of London. It towers 135 meters over the Thames River and weighs 2,100 tonnes. If there are clear skies you will have a 25-mile panoramic view. Open: Daily 10.00am - 8.00pm. Late opening to 9.00pm during June to September. Tel: 0870 5000 600. Nearby attractions like Big Ben, Houses of Parliament on the other bank and the bridges over the Thames River will keep your camera busy.

Match the definition below with an expressions from the text:
- find something very exciting and unusual

- blow your mind away
Feedback: Correct!
- blow your mind away
- thus