PEOPLE, PLACES, CUSTOMS AND CULTURE

LESSON 3

WHAT'S IT LIKE BEING QUEEN?

Being Queen is a really busy job. Elizabeth II gets up early and starts work at 9 a. m. on the dot. She begins the day by looking through the newspapers. Then she reads letters from the public (she gets more than 1000 each week), and tells her staff how she would like them to be answered. The Queen has daily meetings with her Private Secretary who helps her to go through her paperwork, and lots of meetings with ambassadors, new judges, and bishops.

In the afternoon Elizabeth II often goes out on the public engagements - she gets thousands of invitations each year. She opens new hospitals, bridges and factories.

Being Queen is not a 9 to 5 job, and Elizabeth II has to work from early in the morning until late at night. And people watch her all the time.

Of course, she has some free time, and some private life, but less than most people. She has 4 children - Charles, Andrew, Edward and Anne. Although unfortunately, the children don't always bring their crowned mother happiness. This is especially true of Price Charles, who as the heir to the throne, gets smudged by the press more often than the others.

Her Majesty remains not only a symbol of the United Kingdom, but also the richest woman in the world. Her personal property is worth 14 billion dollars. And from her savings she earns a mere matter of 7,9 million pounds per annum. She earns a bit more from bank percentages, valuable papers, leased land etc. Having such wealth, Her Majesty can allow herself a little weakness - having everything, down to the smallest hairbrush, made out of pure gold.

But she can permit herself other things too- such as preferring bacon and eggs to milk pudding. Also, the Queen has trouble putting p with tobacco smoke, banquets and long-winded speeches.

In her spare time Elizabeth II enjoys horse racing, fishing, and walking in the country side. She also enjoys photography and likes taking photos on her travels. In 50 years the Queen has been on 251 official visits to 128 different countries.

WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS

EXERCISES

Ex. 2 Complete these sentences using the words and word combinations given in the brackets:

1. In the afternoon Elizabeth II often (to go out on public engagements).

2. Elizabeth II gets up early and (to begin the by looking through the newspapers).

3. Her Majesty (to have to work from early in the morning until late at night).

4. Of course, she (to have some free time).

5. She also enjoys photography and likes (to take photos on her travels).

6. The Queen can (to permit herself different things).

7. Her personal secretary (to inform the Queen about documents every morning).

Ex. 3. Say in what situations these words and word combinations are used in the text:

to get up, to look through the newspapers, daily meetings, public engagements, ambassadors, judges, thousands of invitations, free time, wealth, personal property, bank percentages, bacon, 4 children, to enjoy, official visits.

Ex. 4. Give an extensive answer to the following question: Why is being Queen a really busy job?

Ex. 5. Put a general and special questions to the following sentences:

1. Elizabeth II gets up early.

2. She reads letters from the public and tells her stuff how she would like them to be answered.

3. She gets more than 1000 letters each week.

4. The Queen has daily meetings with her Private Secretary.

5. He helps her to go through her paperwork.

6. Charles, Andrew, Edward and Anne are the Queen's children.

7. The Queen's personal property is worth 14 billion dollars.

8. She can allow herself a little weakness.

9. There is the ambivalent attitude of the Brits themselves towards their monarch..

10. The British people think that spending 172 thousand pounds per annum on maintaining the monarchy is perhaps a little expensive.

LESSON 4

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1066