London's secret garden

London has many well-known landmarks, but it also has its hidden gems. In this video, you can learn about a garden paradise in the heart of the UK capital.

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the video and do the exercises. You can also read the transcript.

Preparation

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Transcript

Located in central London is a public park that remains hidden to even the locals.

The medieval-style church of St Dunstan-in-the-East was built in around 1100, and has had a long, 900-year-old history.

In 1666, it was rebuilt after being damaged in the Great Fire of London. Then, during World War Two, a direct hit during the London Blitz destroyed a majority of the structure, leaving behind only the north and south walls and steeple. Instead of rebuilding once again, the city of London decided to turn the remains of St Dunstan-in-the-East into the public garden which is accessible today – if you know where to look.

Tucked away from the main road, the garden is situated between the Tower of London and London Bridge. The green, ivy-covered walls, trees and flowers offer an enchanting escape from the city and serve as a reminder of London's history.

Task 1

Video zone: London's secret garden – 1

Task 2

Video zone: London's secret garden – 2

Discussion

Are there any interesting places where you live that most people don't know about?

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Worksheet79.79 KB

Language level

B2 Upper intermediate

C1 Advanced

C2 Proficiency

Topics

environment and nature

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I think, it's the best site for learning English. Thank you very much!

There is a beautiful manor house Gorenki in Balashikha(the city in Moscow region). It belonged to Count Razumovsky. In the 18th century, Gorenki was the largest and richest estate in the entire Moscow region. The style of the manor house is classicism. Unfortunately, nowadays our authorities don't want to restore that monument of architecture. It looks decrepit now but still beautiful. I'm pleased to live near the historic site.

yes, i have. it is the shrine of saint Barbara, who was the first in the village interred Christianity

This video and relative tasks are very useful to improve on my reading skills, riching my vocabulary and know new places and curiosity. Thanks so much!

There are two Botanical Gardens in Moscow. One vast and very popular and another one tucked away in the downtown. The second one is not so famous and not so many locals know about its existence. But it's cosy place! This garden is also called as Botanical Garden of Moscow University.

I,m pleased to be here ! And that’s really very interesting thank you very much:)