The Houses of Parliament

Few people know that the modern buildings of the Houses of Parliament were built on the site of the Royal Palace of Westminster, constructed by Edward the Confessor in the 14th century. In the early 19th century, however, the Palace was badly damaged by fire. When the old Palace of Westminster (1)........ in flames on the night of 16 October 1834, Charles Barry was (2)........ to London and saw the red glow from a distance. At once he came to join (3)........ absorbed in the terror and grandeur of the sight. Barry was already (4)........ but his success two years later in the competition to design a new Parliament House was crucial (5)......... The New Palace with its picturesque exterior and well-organised interior (6)........ the main monument to him and to his collaborator, A. Welby Pugin, whose genius dominated (7)

The 1834 fire (8)........ of the rambling medieval palace whose unsuitability as the seat of Parliament had long been recognised. After the fire, the mood of the times was (9)........ creating a new structure that could be a symbol of the spirit of Reform; a monument to the history of the nation and a comfortable well-planned building. Barry’s design was (10)........ of the 1836 competition with his palace in the Gothic style, (11)........ with the nearby Abbey and Westminster Hall. From then until his death in 1860 he was preoccupied with supervising the construction of the building.

A intended to harmonise B destroyed almost all C stands as D the clear winner E badly damaged F a leading architect G the crowd of sightseers

H driving back I practical arrangements J in favour of K the design of L went up M trying to recreate N to his reputation

III. WRITING

Write a postcard (60–80 words) to your friend in Ukraine. You are staying with your English pen-friend in England. Write about the following:

• what city you are staying at now;

• what interesting things you have learned about this city;

• how you spend your time.

EXAMINATION CARD № 25

I. READING

Read the job adverts (A-D) and answer the questions (1-6)

А DOGWALKER

We are looking for part-time dogwalkers for weekday evenings. Applicants must be reliable and energetic. Knowledge of local parks desirable. Apply by e-mail to Helen_Smith@Helens_Kenneis.ie

В REPORTER

The Kent Express is accepting applications for the position of part-time reporter for our weekly teen magazine. We are looking for an outgoing person aged 14-17 with an active lifestyle who can write about teen issues. The job is unpaid, but if you are interested in a career in journalism this is a great opportunity to gain experience. Computer training provided. Call 087-2105673 for a phone interview.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-26