People have played goal games for hundreds of years. Football was born in England. The English have played football for many centuries.

In the 1200s they played a kind of football on feast days. The field was the land between two villages. The teams were the people of the two villages. The ball was the leathery bladder of a pig or other animal, blown up like a balloon. Each team tried to kick the ball all the way to the other village. These games were so dangerous that people were often killed.

It is a historical fact that Henry VIII passed a law forbidding football in England.

In the 1800s, students at boys’ schools in England played a game something like soccer. Players tried to kick the ball down the field to the goal. Then in 1823, a boy at Rugby School picked up the ball and ran with it. This was against the rules, but many players liked the idea. So they made up a new game called rugby football.

Boys in the United States began playing football in the 1860s. They, too, liked the idea of mnning with the ball, so they used some of the rugby rules. They also made up rules of their own. Soon, American football was quite different from the football played in other countries. It is considered to be a rough game, played by men only. Thus

Soccer means football. The word comes from “Association football”. It is played with a round ball. The team consists of 11 players.

Rugby is a kind of football with an oval ball which may be carried. The team consists of 15 players.

Football has become one of the most popular games all over the world.

This game is also a popular sport to watch. Millions of fans watch the games on television and find them very exciting.

The English are the most passionate spectators. When there is a big race day anywhere or a match is on, the stadium gates must always close, leaving out thousands of people. In any weather the sport grounds are absolutely full and the spectators keep shouting their heads off.

American football is no less popular with people in the United States and Canada. Often whole families attend the stadium and sport grounds to cheer for their favourite team.

a leathery bladder — мочевой пузырь, обтянутый кожей

to shout one’s heads off — кричать как сумасшедшие

The Great Fire of London

The London of the middle of the 17th century was a city of narrow, dirty streets. The streets were so narrow that it was often possible for a person at a window on one side of the street to shake hands with a neighbor on the other side. Rubbish lay piled up in dark comers. It is no wonder that epidemics were common.

The greatest epidemic was the plague which broke out in 1655. It was a sad time for London. Every house in which there were sick people was shut up, no one was allowed to go in or out, and the door of the house was marked with a red cross.

The following year the Great Fire took place. It broke out late on a Saturday night in a street not far from London Bridge. The summer had been dry; a hot east wind was blowing and the fire spread quickly.

The fire burned for five days and destroyed the greater part of the city. But it did the city good, as it cleared away the old wooden houses and the dirty, narrow streets.

A monument near London Bridge still marks the spot where the fire broke out. Sir Christopher Wren, the famous architect of that day, took part in rebuilding the city. Wider streets and brick houses were built. The old church of St.Paul was among the buildings destroyed by the fire. In its place Wren built the present St.Paul’s Cathedral. He lays buried under the roof of his own great work. These words are written on his tomb: “If you want to see his monument, look around”.

rubbish — мусор

it is no wonder — неудивительно

epidemics — эпидемия

common — обычный, часто случающийся

the plague — чума

to break out — возникнуть, разразиться

cross — крест

to spread (spread)— распространяться

to clear away — здесь: to destroy уничтожить

tobury — хоронить

tomb — могила

From the centre of Westminster Bridge, one can have a splendid view of the Houses of Parliament which spread magnificently on the north bank of the Thames.

This structure is a remarkable example of Gothic architecture. The Clock Tower, which contains the hour-bell called “Big Ben”, is known the world over. The bell is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, under whose direction the Houses of Parliament were rebuilt in 1850.

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords consists of just over 1000 members of the different grades of nobility — dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts and barons. In the House of Commons there are 635 members. The name of the “Commons”, by which it is called, does not mean the “common people”, but the local “communities” in different parts of the country. They are elected by secret ballot by the people of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland aged 18 and over. Every Parliament is limited to duration of five years

the House of Lords — Палата лордов

the House of Commons — Палата общин

nobility — дворянство, знать

duke — герцог

marquis — маркиз

earl — граф

viscount — виконт

baron — барон

by secret ballot — тайным голосованием