Look through the texts, make necessary notes and talk about London and Astana

London

Reading

Read the sentences then listen and mark them T (true) or F (false).

1. London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom.

2. It stands on the River Thames.

3. London is not a leading global city.

4. London is a world cultural capital.

5. London's 45 universities

6. More than 360 languages are spoken in London.

7. The London metropolitan area is the largest in the EU with a total population of 13,614,409.

8. London didn’t have the largest population of any city in the world from around 1831 to 1925.

9. London contains five World Heritage Sites.

10. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world.

Read the texts, explain the words and phrases in bold as in the example:

populous - containing many people or inhabitants; having a large population.

London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. It is the most populous region, urban zone and metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its 1.12-square-mile (2.9 km²) mediaeval boundaries and in 2011 had a resident population of 7,375, making it the smallest city in England. Since at least the 19th century, the term London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is one of the world's leading financial centres and has the fifth-or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world depending on measurement. London is a world cultural capital. It is the world's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe. In 2012, London became the first city to host the modern Summer Olympic Games three times.

London has a diverse range of peoples and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken within its boundaries. London had an official population of 8,308,369 in 2012, making it the most populous municipality in the European Union, and accounting for 12.5% of the UK population. The Greater London Urban Area is the second-largest in the EU with a population of 9,787,426 according to the 2011 census. The London metropolitan area is the largest in the EU with a total population of 13,614,409, while the Greater London Authorityputs the population of London metropolitan region at 21 million. London had the largest population of any city in the world from around 1831 to 1925.

London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St Margaret's Church; and the historic settlement of Greenwich(in which the Royal Observatory, Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian, 0°longitude, and GMT). Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and The Shard. London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural institutions, including the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, British Library and 40 West End theatres. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world.

Look at these places and guess what their correct names are. What these places are famous for?

Read the sentences then listen and mark them T (true) or F (false).

1. Astana is the largest city of Kazakhstan.

2. Astana was at the centre of Virgin Lands Campaign in 1961.

3. In 1992, Astana was renamed to "Aqmola".

4. The new name, Astana, was bestowed in 1998.

5. Astana has a humid continental climate, bordering on a semi-arid climate, with exceptionally cold winters and warm summers.

6. Almaty is the former capital of Kazakhstan.

7. Almaty has been referred to as the southern capital of Kazakhstan in 1997.

8. The city is located in the foothills of Trans-Ili Alatau (or Zailiysky Alatau) in the extreme south-east and has a peculiar, relatively mild climate regime.

9. The new 2030 General Plan of Almaty was developed in 1999.

10. The main objective is to promote Almaty's image as a garden-city.

Two Major Cities of Kazakhstan: ASTANA and ALMATY.

Astana is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an estimated population of 708,794. Total area - 722 km 2 (279 sq mi).

Kazakhstan hosted in the Stalinist era a series of Gulag-like labour camps that housed up to hundreds of thousands of internees and their families. Outside Astana, there once stood the ALZHIR camp for Wives of Traitors of the Motherland. In 1961 the city was at the centre of the Virgin Lands Campaign, it was renamed "Tselinograd" ("Virgin Lands City") After Kazakhstan gained its independence in 1991, the city and the region were renamed "Aqmola", literally meaning "White Shrine". In 1995, the city was designated as the future capital of the newly-independent country, and the capital was officially moved from Almaty on December 10, 1997. The new name, Astana, was bestowed in 1998. In 1999, Astana had a population of 281,000. By 2007, the city population has more than doubled. Astana is a magnet for young professionals seeking to build a career. Politics and government are the main economic activities in the capital, which also forms a Special Economic Zone. Astana generates over 7 - 7,5 per cent of Kazakhstan's GDP (nominal $13,5 billion, or 19,000$ per capita)

The old buildings that remained from the Soviet era are now being removed and replaced with totally new structures resulting in significant construction work throughout the city. The well-behaved traffic, well-kept paving and a complete lack of litter, or of visible signs of prostitution, drug-taking or beggary. In the centre of town, the Avenue of the Republic acts as the main hub of activity. It is bordered by many stores, coffee houses, restaurants, night clubs and some casinos.
Astana has a humid continental climate, bordering on a semi-arid climate, with exceptionally cold winters and warm summers. Temperature runs from − 40 °C (−40 °F) to +40 °C (104°F) Almaty (ie "city of apples" or "city of apple trees") is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500. This represents over 8% of the country's population. In 1997, the capital moved to Astana; since then, Almaty has been referred to as the southern capital of Kazakhstan. The city is located in the foothills of Trans-Ili Alatau (or Zailiysky Alatau) in the extreme south-east and has a peculiar, relatively mild climate regime. The region is thought to be the ancestral home of the apple, which explains the "Alma Ata" name.
Ethnic groups: Kazakh - 53%, Russian - 33%, Uyghur - 5.8%, Tatar - 2.0% Korean - 2.0% Ukrainian - 1.2% and others.

An aerial tramway line connects downtown Almaty with a popular recreation area at the top of Kök Töbe (Kazakh: Көктөбе, which means 'Green Hill'), a mountain just to the southeast. Almaty are situated in the zones with maximum magnitudes of the expected earthquakes equaled from 6.0 to 8.3

The new 2030 General Plan of Almaty was developed in 1998 and aims at forming ecologically safe, secure and socially comfortable living conditions. The main objective is to promote Almaty's image as a garden-city. One of the components of the General Plan is to continue multi-storied and individual construction, reorganize industrial territories, improve transport infrastructure. The area of the city was expanded during the recent years as the suburban settlements of Kalkaman, Kok Tube, Gorniy Gigant (Mountain Giant), were added to the city. Almaty is also developing as the regional financial and business centre. Numerous apartament blocks, and office buildings transformed the face of the town, which climbs higher and higher at the mountains.

Дата добавления: 2015-04-25