9749 time out in london 2 3

READING ACTIVITIES

Josephine and Charlotte are on the Eurostar train to
London. They want to make as many things as possible !!

There are special “sightseeing buses”. They
provide a great way to travel around the capital
and its most famous sites like Tower Bridge,
the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster
Abbey and of course… Buckingham Palace !
Girls are fond of fairy tales, you know !

The Royal Wedding Dress exhibition
at Buckingham Palace from July
2011 to October 2011.

Londoners love their parks. When the weather
is good, they play frisbee, fly a kite, or rollerblade in Hyde Park or Green Park. Open-air
concerts and plays take place in parks,
particularly in the summer. Gangs of friends or
families bring a picnic and enjoy the show.
On Sundays, it is possible to listen to an open
air debate at the Speaker’s corner in Hyde
Park.
They talk about any subjects ( war, religion,
education,… ).

The “Speaker’s corner”
in Hyde Park !

People in England like eating snacks

and buy them at “corner shops”. You
can also buy newspapers and
magazines there.

London is a shopper’s paradise. In and around Oxford
Street, there is a lot of choice so it is always crowded.
You can find chic boutiques ( elegant and expensive, like
Accessorize or Dorothy Perkins ), ethnic shops ( Indian,
South American,… ) or giant music stores ( Virgin or
HMV ).

English
people
really
enjoy
musicals. “Mamma Mia !” is the top
musical at the Prince of Wales

The London Underground or Tube
is older ( 1863 ) and deeper than
the New York Subway or the Paris
Metro.

“Bed and Breakfasts” are typically British.
It is a system of accommodation in a hotel
or guest house. You pay for a room for the
night and for breakfast the following
morning.

There are lots of “souvenir

stalls” in London !

The

English

baked

beans,

breakfast :
bacon

and

egg ! Perfect for hungry
people !


Punks in Camden Market

At the week-end, flea-markets like Camden
Market attract hundreds of people. They come
to buy or just to look at trendy second-hand
clothes and original fashion accessories.

Teenagers can’t get into
discos. So they take the bus
and go to the cinema in
Leicester Square or take the

cab to go to a concert at the
Brixton Academy ( rock,
reggae and rap music ) or
Wembley Arena ( rock and
pop music ).

Families often go to a pub for their Sunday
lunch. In Britain, children and teenagers under
18 can’t go to a pub on their own or in the
evening.
They meet in fast-food restaurants or they
have take-away meals at home or in the street.
Traditional “Fish & chips”

Teenagers love that place ! The London
Dungeon is a real museum of horror. There are
horrific scenes from London’s history, like Jack
the Ripper. It is very scary !

On the last weekend in August, over two million
people come to London’s Notting Hill Carnival. It is
organized by the city’s Carribean population. Today,
the carnival reflects London’s multicultural society,
and is the second largest carnival in the world !
Groups called “Mas” spend hundreds of hours and
thousands of pounds every year to create the most
elaborate and colourful costumes. At the carnival
you can hear steel bands, Calypso Soca and sound
systems.
Teenagers love the sound systems - they’re so

loud, they make your ears buzz !

It’s not a joke : there are “souvenir stalls”
everywhere in London !

There are many cinemas near Leicester Square,
The weekly magazine Time Out tells you what’s on in
so groups of friends often meet there and then
London ( films, plays, concerts and other activities ).
go to the pictures.

Jerk chicken and coconut water ? Hey
you’re in the West Indies ! Not in
London !!