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Comprehension Check Exercises

 

I. Fill in the blank with the correct word:

 

1. The first major settlementin the area of London was founded by the … in AD 43.

2. This … was called Londinium.

3. By 600 AD, the Anglo-Saxons had created a new settlement (Lundenwic) about 1 km upstream from the old Roman city, around what is now … .

4. … Canute took control of the English throne in 1017.

5. William the Conqueror built a castle in the southeast corner of the city which is now known as …

6. The City of London flourished under its own unique administration, … .

7. London's first … put small countryside towns within easy reach of the city.

8. Between 1855 and 1889, the Metropolitan Board of Works oversaw infrastructure … .

9. The Blitz and other bombing by the German Luftwaffe during World War II … large tracts of housing and other buildings across London.

10. Integration of the new immigrants was not always … .

 

II. Complete the sentence with the best answer (a, b or c) according to the information in the text:

 

1. The first London lasted for

a) 17 years.

b) 170 years.

c) 300 years.

2. By the 3rd century AD, the city started a slow decline due to

a) trouble in the Roman Empire

b) Great Fire

c) a retaliatory attack of Aethelred's army

3. By the 11th century London had become

a) the largest and most prosperous city in England

b) the official seat of government

c) abandoned.

4. The Tower of London served first as

a) a royal residence

b) a prison

c) a royal court

5. In the 18th century London's local government system struggled to cope with

a) the rapid growth

b) the economic crisis

c) large-scale immigration

 

III. Find out whether the statement is true or false according to the information in the text:

 

1. In the 2nd century AD, Roman London had a population of around 60,000.

2. Under the control of various English kings, London prospered as an international trading centre and political arena.

3. The Great Fire of London broke out in Westminster.

4. London’s growth was aided from 1836 by its first railways.

5. Architectural unity has become part of London's character.

6. London was awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics on 7 July 2005.

IV. Questions:

 

1. Is there any evidence of scattered pre-Roman settlement in the area of London?

2. What happened with London around AD 61?

3. Who re-founded Westminster Abbey and the adjacent Palace of Westminster?

4. Who was crowned King of England in the newly-finished Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066?

5. When were Scotland and England united?

6. Name the last major outbreak of Europe.

7. Whatcaused small countryside towns to grow?

8. Why were London's political boundaries expanded in 1965?

9. Whattransformed London into one of the most racially and culturally diverse cities in Europe in the 20th century?

10. Has London been subjected to bouts of terrorism? Why?

V. Do you remember?

 

1. What was the official seat of government in early London?



2. What region was a centre of trade and commerce in Norman and Medieval London?

3. What is Gunpowder Plot?

4. Name the world's first metro system.

5. What city was awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics?

 

The City

 

The City of London is a small area in Greater London, England. The modern conurbation of London developed from the City of London and the nearby City of Westminster, which was the centre of the royal government. The City of London is now Europe's largest "central business district" (CBD) and financial district. It is often referred to as just the City or as the Square Mile, as it is approximately one square mile (2.6 km²) in area; note that these terms are also often used as metonyms for the UK financial services industry, which is principally based there. In the medieval period the City was the full extent of London (as distinct from the nearby but then-separate village of Westminster), but the term London now refers to a much larger conurbation containing both 'cities'. The City of London is still part of London's city centre, but apart from financial services, most of London's metropolitan functions are centred on the West End. The City of London has a resident population of under 10,000 but a daily working population of 311,000.

The City itself has two independent enclaves within it — Inner Temple and Middle Temple. These two areas form part of the City and Ceremonial county, but are not governed by the City of London Corporation. The Corporation governs the rest of the City and also owns various open spaces (parks, forests and commons) in and around London.

Its Latin motto is "Domine dirige nos" which means "Lord, guide us".

 

Extent

 

The size of the City was originally constrained by a defensive perimeter wall, known as 'London Wall’, which was built by the Romans to protect their strategic port city. However, the boundaries of the City of London are no longer the old City Wall as the city expanded its jurisdiction to the so-called City Bars — such as Temple Bar. The boundary froze in the medieval period, thus the City did not and does not control the whole of London.

The walls have long since disappeared although several sections remain visible above ground. A section near the Museum of London was revealed after the devastation of an air-raid on 29 December 1940 at the height of the Blitz. Other visible sections are at St Alphage, London Wall, and there are two sections near the Tower of London.

The eastern side of the City of London viewed from St Paul's Cathedral. Canary Wharf (in the neighbouring borough of Tower Hamlets) is on the horizon.

 

The City of London borders the City of Westminster to the west — the border cutting through Victoria Embankment, passing to the west of Middle Temple, going east along Strand and Fleet Street, north up Chancery Lane, where it becomes instead the border with the London Borough of Camden. It continues north to Holborn, turns east, continues, and then goes northeast to Charterhouse Lane. As it crosses Farringdon Road it becomes the border with the London Borough of Islington. It continues to Aldersgate, goes north, and turns into some back streets soon after it becomes Goswell Road. It ends up on Ropemakers Lane, which as it continues east past Moorgate becomes South Place. It goes north, becomes the border with the London Borough of Hackney, then east, north, east on backstreets, meeting Norton Folgate at the border with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It continues south into Bishopsgate, and takes some backstreets to Middlesex Street where it continues south-east then south. It makes a divergence to the west at the end of Middlesex Street to allow the Tower of London to be in Tower Hamlets, and then reaches the river. The boundaries of the City are marked by black bollards bearing the City's emblem. In some places the financial district extends slightly beyond the political boundaries of the City to the north and east, into the boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Islington, and informally these locations are seen as part of the "Square Mile". Since the 1990s the eastern fringe of the City, extending into Hackney and Tower Hamlets, has increasingly been a focus for large office developments due to the relatively easy availability of large sites there compared to within the City itself.

Since 1991 Canary Wharf a few miles east of the City Boundary within Tower Hamlets has become a second centre for London's financial services industry and now houses a number of banks and other institutions formerly located in the Square Mile. However, fears that the City would be damaged by this development appear to have been unfounded with growth predicted in both locations. Indeed Canary Wharf may have been of great service to the Square Mile by providing large floorplate office buildings at a time when this was difficult within the City boundary, and therefore preventing strategically important companies such as HSBC from relocating abroad.

The City of London is England's smallest ceremonial county by both population and area covered and is the second smallest British city in both population and size, after St David's in Wales.

At its maximum extent the City included areas now not part of it, including Southwark (as the 'ward of bridge without'). The City today controls the full spans of London Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge, but only half of the river underneath them.

The City of London also owns and looks after a number of open spaces well outside its own boundaries. These are: Ashtead Common, Burnham Beeches, Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath (including Parliament Hill), Highgate Wood, Queen's Park, West Ham Park, and West Wickham and Coulsdon Common.

 

History

Coat of arms of the City of London as shown on Blackfriars station. The Latin motto reads Domine Dirige Nos, "God (Lord), lead us". The red sword is commonly supposed to commemorate the killing of Peasants' Revolt leader Wat Tyler by the Lord Mayor of London William Walworth in 1381, but in fact it is the symbol of the martyrdom of Saint Paul, London's patron saint.
Dragon, symbol of London (commonly believed to be a griffin)
Dragon statue at Temple Bar monument
Three of the tall buildings of the City of London, seen across Waterloo Bridge: St Paul's Cathedral, Tower 42 and The Swiss Re Tower.
Part of the skyline viewed from the South Bank.
The City of London by night, viewed from Tower Bridge.

 

The area of the City of London has been administered separately since 886, when Alfred the Great appointed his son-in-law Earl Ætheldred of Mercia as Governor of London. Alfred made sure that there was suitable accommodation for merchants from northwest Europe, which were then extended to traders from the Baltic and Italy.

The City developed its own code of law for the mercantile classes, developing such autonomy that Sir Laurence Gomme regarded the City as a separate Kingdom making its own laws. The City was composed of wards governed by Aldermen, who chaired the Wardmotes. There was a folkmoot for the whole of the city held in the shadows of St Paul's Cathedral. In the tenth century, Athelstan permitted eight mints to be established, compared to six in his capital, Winchester, indicating the wealth of the city.

Following the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror marched on London, to Southwark and failed to get across London Bridge or to defeat the Londoners. He eventually crossed the River Thames at Wallingford, pillaging the land as he went. Rather than continuing the war Edgar Ætheling, Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria surrendered at Berkhamsted. William rewarded London in granting the citizens a charter in 1075; the City of London was one of the few institutions where the English retained some authority.

However, William insured against attack by building 3 Castles nearby so as to keep the Londoners subdued:

Tower of London

Baynard's Castle

Montfichet's Castle

In 1132, Henry I recognised full County status for the City, and by 1141 the whole body of the citizenry was considered to constitute a single community. This was the origin of the City of London Corporation.

The City burned nearly to the ground twice, first in 1212 and then again (and more famously) in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Both of these fires were referred to as the Great Fire.

The City elected four members to the unreformed House of Commons, which it retained after the Reform Act 1832 and into the 20th century. Today it is included wholly in the Cities of London and Westminster constituency, and statute requires that it not be divided between two neighbouring areas.

The City's population fell rapidly in the 19th century and through most of 20th century as many houses were demolished to make way for office blocks. This trend has now been reversed as the Corporation is encouraging residential use, although the resident population is not expected to go much above ten thousand people. Some of the extra accommodation is in small pre World War II commercial buildings which are not suitable for occupation by the large companies which now provide much of the City's employment. The largest residential section of the City is the Barbican Estate.

Since the 1990s, the City has diversified away from near exclusive office use in some other ways as well. For example, several hotels have opened and also the City's first department store. However, large sections of it remain very quiet at weekends, and it is quite common to find pubs and cafes closed on these days.

 

Local government

The City of London has a unique political status, a legacy of its uninterrupted integrity as a corporate city since the Anglo Saxon period and its singular relationship with the crown. Historically its system of government was not unusual, but it was not reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835.

It is administered by the City of London Corporation, headed by the Lord Mayor of London (not the same post as the more recent London Mayor, who presides over Greater London). The City is a ceremonial county too, although instead of having its own Lord-Lieutenant, the City of London has a Commission, headed by the Lord Mayor, exercising this function.

 

Elections

The City has a unique electoral system, which follows very few of the usual forms and standards of democracy. Most of its voters are representatives of businesses and other bodies which occupy premises in the City. Its ancient wards also have very unequal numbers of voters.

The principal justification put forward for the non-resident vote is that approximately 450,000 non-residents constitute the city's day-time population and use most of its services, far outnumbering the City's residents, who are fewer than 10,000. Nevertheless, the system has long been the cause of controversy. The business vote was abolished in all other UK local authority elections in 1969 and was retained only in the City of London.

A Private Act in 2003 reformed the voting system for electing Members to the Corporation of London and received the Royal Assent on 7 November 2002. Under the new system, the number of non-resident voters has doubled from 16,000 to 32,000. Previously disfranchised firms (and other organizations) are entitled to nominate voters, in addition to those already represented, and all such bodies are now required to choose their voters in a representative fashion.

Bodies employing fewer than ten people may appoint one voter, those employing ten to fifty people may appoint one voter for every five employees; those employing more than fifty people may appoint ten voters and one additional voter for each fifty employees beyond the first fifty.

The Act also removed other anomalies which had developed over time within the City's system, which had been unchanged since the 1850s.

 


Date: 2015-12-24; view: 900


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