Научно-исследовательская работа "Walking around London" ("Прогулка по Лондону") (на английском языке)

Всероссийская научно-практическая конференция школьников

«Шаг в будущее» (школьный этап) 

Walking around London

(Прогулка по Лондону)

Автор: Ф.И.

4 «А» класс МБОУ СОШ №56

Руководитель:

Прохоренко Яна Александровна,

учитель английского языка

МБОУ СОШ №56

Мурманск 2019 год

Contents

Introduction. 3

1. Theoretical part 4

1.1. London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

1.2. Sightseeing of London. 4

2. Practical part 9

2.1. Questionnaire for classmates

2.2. Making a presentation and a poster. 9

2.3. The results of the research. 10

Conclusion. 10

References. 11

Appendix 1 «Questionnaire for classmates». 12

Appendix 2 «The results of questioning (diagrams)». 13

Appendix 3 «The computer presentation» (photo) 14

Appendix 4 «The photographs of London sights». 15

Appendix 5 «The poster» (photo) 19

Introduction

Relevance of the research. Nowadays many people like travelling. They visit different countries and want to see beautiful places, make friends with new people or have a rest. If you want to go abroad, you should speak a foreign language and know some facts about country’s history and culture.. If you know it, you will understand natives and improve your English.

Every person has a dream. My dream is to visit London, the capital of Great Britain. It is known that there are a lot of sights here. Every year thousands of people come to London and see its sights with their own eyes. I have  decided to make a virtual trip around the city and make a poster with the most famous sights of London.

The goal of the research is to get knowledge about sights of London and develop the interest to the English-speaking countries.

Tasks of the research:

1.           to make a Questionnaire about sights of London for classmates;

2.           to collect and study the information on a research topic;

3.           to make a computer presentation about interesting places of London;

4.           to inform classmates about London sights;

5.           to make a poster of London sights.

Object of the research: London city

Subject of the research: London sights

Research methods:

-          search method: information in the Internet, literature, audio and video material;

-          analysis method: selection the most important and interesting information on the topic of research;

-          synthesis method: synthesis of the information

Practical significance: materials can be used at English lessons

Result of the research: poster of London sights

1. Theoretical part

1.1. London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  (Appendix 1)

London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is a very old city. London is one of the most famous and interesting cities in Europe. Traditionally it's divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London. The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It's the symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs, and theatres are situated there. The East End is the poorest district of London with lots of factories and docks

There a lot of sights in London such as: Tower of London, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge, Piccadilly, Madam Tussaud’s Museum and others.

1.2. Sightseeing of London (Appendix 2)

The Tower of London

You can see the Tower of London from the River Thames. The Tower of London is one of the most famous and most interesting places in the city. The Tower is very old. It is one of the oldest places in London. It has a long and cruel history. It was a fortress, a royal palace, a prison for important people and even a zoo. Today it is a big historical museum. Despite being called “The Tower of London”, the place consists of 20 towers. The White Tower is the oldest of them. It was built at the time of William the Conqueror.

Special guards look after the Tower and take care of the black ravens that live there. There is an ancient legend that the Tower and Great Britain will fall the ravens ever leave the fortress. There are many beautiful Crown Jewels in the tower. People working there carefully look after them.

The Tower of London used to be a place where many famous people lived their last days before execution. Anne Boleyn was beheaded there and future Queen Elizabeth was kept in the prison but later she was released and became Queen. The guardians of the Tower still tell tourists many thrilling stories about things happened there when the place was a prison. Even a more interesting story is considered to be the one about the start of the Zoo. It is said that King Henry III was given an elephant, a polar bear and several leopards as gifts and he had no place to keep them in except for the Tower of London. Nowadays the Tower of London is a place of great interest for millions of people. Tourists come there to visit the museum of Royal Armouries, the Fusilier museum and a new Jewel Tower where Crown Jewels are exhibited.  Tourists can also speak with the guardians who wear special uniform which was assigned to them during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Tourists like this great historical place!

Big Ben

The Big Ben is the most popular landmark of Great Britain. The name of the clock-tower refers to the huge bell that is situated in the tower. It was built in 1859 and only after 2012 people started calling it ‘Big Ben’. Big Ben is really a bell. The bell is over two meters tall and chimes every quarter of an hour. Early in morning you can hear it on the radio: ’’This is the BBC. The time is six o’clock’’. And then you hear deep boom of Big Ben six times.

Nowadays, Big Ben is a national symbol which delights the eye of any citizen and tourist. The big clock officially started working on 31 May 1859. It is said that the monument was named after Sir Benjamin Hall who controlled the work of the bell. In course of time Big Ben changed its function. Once it used to be a prison. During the Second World War in 1941 the main part of the Houses of Parliament was destroyed but the clock-tower remained and continued to keep time. The sound of the clock even became a symbol of hope during the war. Recently, for the sixtieth anniversary of the Queen’s Elizabeth reign the Parliament decided to give her grace Big Ben as a gift. It was officially called the “Elizabeth Tower” but then the name was changed to the “Clock Tower”. Consequently, today “Big Ben” is only the name that is spread among public. None the less, Big Ben is well-known to everyone, even to those who have never been to London. The tower is a symbol of London that is loved both by citizens and tourists. There are a lot of souvenirs that look like Big Ben. The Clock Tower is closed for visitors but it is possible to arrange for a visit to the top of it.

Westminster Abbey

Standing not far from the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Abbey, a symbol of England. The legend says that St Peter founded Westminster Abbey. This place was founded by St. Peter 900 years ago. Later it was rebuilt during the reign of Henry III. The original Westminster Abbey was built in the Romanesque style and then it was reconstructed in the Gothic style. The church is very high and has a magnificent exterior. Westminster Abbey is a place where all English kings and queens were crowned and Royal wedding ceremonies took place. Some famous English people are buried here: Queen Elizabeth I, William Shakespeare, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Bernard Show, Lord Byron, Walter Scott and many others.Every year the church attracts millions of people who come there to see the Abbey and visit the famous Poet’s corner. There is also a statue of Shakespeare there which appeared in 1741. Therefore, Westminster Abbey is an interesting place to visit. You can admire the glory of the church and see the tombs of outstanding people there. Today, Westminster Abbey is a working church and a great monument to the history of England.

London eye

London Eye is a beautiful landmark in London. It is a giant wheel which is situated on the bank of the River Thames. It is the major feature of London’s skyline. The London Eye is 135 meters high and turns very slowly. There are 32 comfortable capsules for people to stand in. It can carry 800 people in each rotation It carries 15,000 people a day. London Eye can be also used for weddings! Many couples organize wedding ceremonies in this landmark. It is unforgettable holiday!

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is one the most exciting place in London. It is the Queen’s official London residence. Tourists always go to see the ceremony of changing the Guard there.  It’s the symbol of the monarch. In front of the palace there is a statue to the queen Victoria. Many tourists come here because they want to see Queen Victoria Memorial. It is very beautiful. Tourists like visiting it very much. The palace is very old. It was built in 1705. There are more than 600 rooms in this building. The Queen and the Royal Family stay at the Palace on weekdays. They have rooms on the first floor of the north wing. When the Queen is staying the Royal Standard flag is flown above the central balcony. The Queen has an office where she usually works. Prince Charles has his own office and library there. However before becoming the administrative headquarters of the Monarch Buckingham House was bought by George III in 1761 for his wife. It was used as a family house and almost all George III’s children were born there. The court functions at that time were held in St.James Palace that was situated close to Buckingham House. George IV, the son of George III, decided to reconstruct the House and transform it into a palace. John Nash selected as an architect retained the main block but added a new suite of rooms. Those rooms are now known as State and semi-State Rooms and they remain unchanged since Nash’s time. Today Buckingham Palace is a working building where official meetings, royal events and different ceremonies take place. Each year the Palace is visited by more than 50.000 people who come to the State banquets, lunches and dinners.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is the geographical center of London. It is London’s most famous Square. There is a statue of Admiral Nelson who defeated the French in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. It was built to honor him. This man was killed at the battle of Trafalgar. The square is popular with visitors who came to relax, watch pavement artists, or eat their lunch and feed the pigeons. This square is used for walking, demonstrations and holidays. People like making photos here.

The Houses of Parliament

The famous bell Big Ben stands near the Houses of Parliament. The country’s leaders speak in the Houses of Parliament. The men and women there are voice of the British people. The Houses of Parliament stand beside the River Thames. You can go on a boat from Westminster and see London from the river. You can also see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament from Westminster Bridge.

The House of Parliament is also known as Palace of Westminster. It stands on the riverside near Westminster Abbey. It can be visited by tourists. They start at the Royal Gallery and then they go to the House of Lords. The most famous part of the House of Parliament is St. Stephen’s Hall. It is decorated by very expensive and valuable frescos. It is one of the oldest landmarks in London.

St.Paul’s Cathedral

It is a work of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. The work began in 1675. The building of the Cathedral went on for 35 years. From far away you can see the huge dome with a golden ball and cross on the top. The interior of the Cathedral is very beautiful. It is full of monuments. Wren, Nelson, Wellington are buried there.

Parks

Londoners love their parks and are proud of them. London is very rich in parks and gardens. You can spend the whole day in the country - without leaving London. London's parks are full of trees, grass, flowers ponds and small lakes. You can walk among the green trees, relax on a boat in one of the ponds, admire the beautiful  flowers and plants or take part in the many activities, such as tennis, swimming and horse-riding.

The are eight Royal Parks in and around London. Four of them are situated in the centre of London: Hyde Park, Green Park, St James's Park, Regent's Park and Kensington Gardens. Hyde Park is the biggest of these four. It is a royal place. It has 5000 acres of beautiful green space. So that’s why people like to organize picnics here. There are many sights in this park and tourists also like watching them. Hyde Park is 1,4 sq. km. Many people come to the park every day to have a rest on the green grass or to feed birds in the Serpentine Lake. It is possible to see ducks, swans and some other animals there. In addition Serpantine still remains the place where defferent demonstrations take place.  Every Sunday you can listen to any person in the Speaker’s Corner. It is famous for its outdoor activities. On Sunday morning anyone can speak about anything he or she believes to be important.

Green Park is the smallest of capital’s eight Royal Parks. It has a triangle shape and it is situated next to Buckingham Palace. Originally the park was opened as a hunting ground by Charles II. Only in 1826 Green Park became available to public. Nowadays Green Park attracts hundreds of people every day who come there to have picnics on grass, to lounge on alluring deсk chairs or to walk around, delighting the atmosphere and nature.

Tower Bridge

It is two thousand years old. The first bridge was wooden. The people built a bridge of stone and called it London Bridge. There were houses and shops on it and people paid money when they crossed the bridge. 

This bridge was built in 1894. It is still used in London. It regulates a large part of great traffic of the capital. The pedestrian part is closed. People can’t walk through it. From this bridge is a superb view to the city. You can also see a magnificent port which is one of the largest in the world.

The British museum

The British museum was created in 1753. It contains one of the richest in the world’s collections of antiquities. There is also one of the largest library in this museum. There is a reading room, but you can’t lend books. There are 11 departments in this museum. They keep a lot of different collections.

Madame Tussaud`s

It is one of the most unusual sights of London. It`s the famous waxworks museum, which has one of the largest collections of wax models in the world. It was founded in 1830. Here you can «meet» famous people. Actors, film stars, pop singers, sportsmen, writers, poets, and scientists come face-to-face with famous politicians. You can even take photos with them.

Madam Tussaud’s is the most amazing wax museum in the whole world that attracts more than 2.5 million people every year. It is visited by 2,5 million people every year. Every day you can see thousands of people standing in the queue near the entering to this building. There are many different wax figures. You can see famous actors, singers and politicians. They are very similar to real people.

Marie Tussaud, the founder of the museum, was French. Young Marie worked in Strasbourg for Dr. Philipp Curtis, a wax modeler. Firstly she helped him to organize an exhibition in Paris and then started doing models herself. She made her first wax model (Voltaire) being only 17 years old! After the death of her teacher, Marie inherited the collection of models with which she moved to Great Britain. Her first exhibition took place on Baker Street and consisted of no more than 30 models. In 1884 the museum was transferred to a new place where it is still located. There are several different halls in the unique museum: “The chamber of horrors”, “Grand Hall”, “The spirit of London”. The first one is the most thrilling place of the museum where the models of villains and their victims are presented. The second one exhibits different historical, political, military figures. And the last one is dedicated to the history of London. There is also a separate hall for stars’ models. That’s why every day hundreds of people stay in a long queue to enter Madam Tussaud’s and to see their favourite actors, singers, members of the Royal Family and many other characters and celebrities made of wax that amaze with their resemblance to reality. This museum gives an opportunity to see either great people of past decades or our contemporaries.

The National Gallery

The National Gallery is situated in the north side of Trafalgar Square. It is a great art museum which includes many national collections of European paintings. It was opened in 1824. British government bought a collection of 38 paintings. Now it is one of the richest and expensive in the world. Tourists like walking in this museum and watching those wonderful paintings.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is known as a center of the night life in the West End. It is popular between tourists and citizens. Piccadilly Circus is a dynamic and delightful place with lively atmosphere. It is also the shopping center. There are many different shops where you can buy souvenirs, clothes, food.

2. Practical part

2.1. Questionnaire for classmates

For research I have chosen the Questionnaire containing the questions about the most famous places of London (Appendix 1). I have  analyzed the results and understood that most of my classmates have a low knowledge level on this topic (Appendix 2).

That’s why I have made a computer presentation and informed them about London sights. (Appendix 3)

2.1. Making a presentation and a poster.

I have analyzed the results of the Questionnaire and understood that most of my classmates have a low knowledge level on this topic. That’s why I have made a computer presentation and informed them about London sights. They listened to me carefully, asked me many questions about London places of interest. I answered them with pleasure. I hope that they have known a lot of interesting and important facts about sights of London. They liked my story and my presentation with photos.

During the next lesson I and my classmates were making a poster with main places of interest.

2.3. The results of the research

As a result, I and my classmates have known a lot of new things about London sights and we have made a poster of London sights. This poster can be used at English lessons.

Conclusion

In conclusion I would like to say that I have known a lot of new and interesting facts about London sights. I have studied many books on this topic. I am interested in studying English more and more. Next year I am going to continue my research and learn about other famous and beautiful places of Great Britain. I hope that one day I will see all of them with my own eyes.

References

Appendix 1 «Questionnaire for classmates»

Название	Слышали	Могут рассказать	Не слышали
Тауэр
Биг Бен
Вестминстерское Аббатство
«Глаз» Лондона
Букингемский Дворец
Трафальгарская Площадь
Дома Парламента
Собор Святого Павла
Гайд парк
Тауэрский мост
Музей Мадам Тюссо
Пикадилли

Appendix 2 «The results of questioning (diagrams)»

Appendix 3 «The computer presentation» (photo)

Appendix 4 «The photographs of London sights»

The Tower of London

Big Ben

Westminster Abbey

London eye

Buckingham Palace

Trafalgar Square

The Houses of Parliament

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Hyde Park

Tower Bridge

Piccadilly Circus

Madame Tussaud`s

Appendix 5 «The poster» (photo)