A brief history of Oxford city

Oxford was founded in the 9th century when Alfred the Great created a network of fortified towns called burghs across his kingdom. One of them was Oxford. Oxford is first men­tioned in 911 in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

According to legend, Oxford University was founded in 872 when Alfred the Great happened to m6et some monks there and had a scholarly debate that lasted several days. In reality, it grew up in the 12th century when famous teachers began to lecture there and groups of students came to live and study in the town.

But Oxford was a fortress as well as a town. In the event of war with the Danes all the men from the area were to gather inside the burgh. However this strategy was not entirely suc­cessful. In 1009 the Danes burned Oxford. However Oxford was soon rebuilt. In 1013 the Danish king claimed the throne of England. He invaded England and went to Oxford. In 1018 a conference was held in Oxford to decide who would be the king of England.

By the time of the Norman Conquest, there were said to be about 1,000 houses in Oxford, which meant it probably had a population of around 5,000. By the standards of the time, it was a large and important town (even London only had about 18,000 inhabitants). Oxford was the 6th largest town in En­gland. Oxford probably reached its zenith at that time. About 1072 the Normans built a castle at Oxford.

In the 12th and 13th centuries Oxford was a manufactu­ring town. It was noted for cloth and leather. But in the 14th and 15th centuries manufacturing declined. Oxford came to depend on the students. It became a town of brewers, butch­ers, bakers, tailors, shoemakers, coopers, carpenters and blacksmiths. In the later Middle Ages Oxford declined in im­portance.

In the 16th century Oxford declined further in terms of national importance, though it remained a fairly large town by the standards of the time. Oxford was economically depen­dent on the university. The students provided a large market for beer, food, clothes and other goods.

From 1819 Oxford had gas street lighting.

In the late 19th century a marmalade making industry be­gan in Oxford. There was also a publishing industry and an iron foundry.

Oxford gained its first cinema in 1910.

The fate of Oxford was changed in 1913 when a man named Morris began making cars in the city. In 1919 a radiator ma­king company was formed. By the 1930s Oxford was an im­portant manufacturing centre. It was also a prosperous city. Furthermore it escaped serious damage during World War II. Oxford airport opened in 1938.Today the main industries are still car manufacturing and making vehicle parts and publishing. Today the population of Oxford is 121,000.

Переведите в письменной форме первый и второй абзац.

9. Ответьте письменно на вопросы по тексту:

1) When was Oxford founded?

2) When was Oxford University founded?

3) What happened to Oxford in 1009?

4) What population had Oxford by the time of the Norman Conquest of 1086?

5) How many people live in Cambridge nowadays?

10. Переведите на английский язык следующее предложение пользуясь текстом:

1) По стандартам того времени, это был большой и важный город.

2) Он был известен своими тканями и кожей.

3) В более позднем средневековье значение Оксфорда снизилось.

4) Студенты обеспечивали большой рынок сбыта для пива, продовольствия, одежды и других товаров.

5) Кроме того, он избежал серьезного повреждения во время Второй мировой войны.

КОНТРОЛЬНАЯ РАБОТА 1

Вариант 4

1. Вставьте вместо точек правильный артикль там, где это необходимо:

1) Pass me … bread, please.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

2) … sun is shining brightly today.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

3) We’ve … TV in our room.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

4) Mr. Jones is on … phone now.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

5) … Saturday is my day off.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

6) He is … only student absent.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

7) … lunch was great.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

8) We’ll meet in … afternoon.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

9) Last week I bought … car.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

10) It’s … pity, but I haven’t got any sugar.

a) a b) an c) the d) -

2. Образуйте форму множеств числа существительных:

3. Вставьте вместо точек прилагательное или наречие:

1) We cancelled our insurance policy and that cost us… .

a) dear; b) dearly.

2) We really paid … for our mistake.

a) dear; b) dearly.

3) She didn’t mean to hurt you and … regrets what she said.

a) deep; b) deeply.

4) If anyone phones while I’m out, tell them I’ll be back … .

a) direct; b) directly.

5) Is it possible to fly … to Tahiti?

a) direct; b) directly.

6) He dislikes playing cards with jack. He never plays … .

a) fair; b) fairly.

7) I’m sure the shop will treat you … if you ask for a refund.

a) fair; b) fairly.

8) Six o’clock will suit us … .

a) fine; b) finely.

4. Вставьте вместо точек правильную форму местоимения:

1) I saw his and Philip with … son, Bill.

2) They want the money. Please give … to … .

3) My sister plays tennis but … favorite sport is athletics.

4) They’ve got two children but I don’t know their / theirs names.

5) We gave him … address and he gave … … .

6) When people are alone, they often talk to … .

7) Goodbye! Have a good holiday and look … .

5. Вставьте вместо точек нужное неопределенное местоимение:

1) There is … milk in the jar.

a) some; b) any; c) no.

2) Are there …biscuits left.

a) some; b) any; c) no.

3) We need … bread.

a) some; b) any; c) no.

4) Have we got … eggs?

a) some; b) any; c) no.

5) There are … apples left in the fridge.

a) some; b) any; c) no.

6. Вставьте вместо точек нужное производное от неопределенных местоимений:

1) I’m afraid there is … coffee .Would you like tea?

2) How many legs has a snake got? … .

3) I’m staying here . I’m not going … .

4) I’m lonely. I have got … to talk to.

5) Jack hasn’t go … to help him.

7. Прочитайте и переведите текст устно:

A brief history of Cambridge

Cambridge was founded in 875 when the Danes conquered Eastern England. They created a fortified town called a burgh, from which the word borough derives. Cambridge was sur­rounded by a ditch and an earth rampart with a wooden pali­sade on top. However in 1010 Cambridge was burned by the Danes. That was an easy task when all the buildings were of wood

By the 10th century Cambridge was also the administra­tive centre for the area and so it was a town of some impor­tance, although it would seem tiny to us. By 1086 Cambridge probably had a population of about 2,000. By the standards of the time it was a medium sized town.

Later in the Middle Ages the population of Cambridge probably rose to about 3,000. In 1068 William the Conqueror visited Cambridge and ordered that a castle be built there. At first it was of wood but in the 12th century, it was rebuilt in stone. The town of Cambridge was severely damaged by a fire in 1174. Fire was a constant hazard when most buildings were of wood with thatched roofs. Another fire raged in Cambridge in 1385.

In the Middle Ages Cambridge had a weekly market and by the early 13th century it also had a fair. In those days fairs were like markets but they were held only once a year for a period of a few days. People came from all over Eastern En­gland at a Cambridge fair. Cambridge prospered because it was located on the river Cam.

In Cambridge there was a leather industry. By the 15th century there was also a wool industry.

In 1728 it was estimated that the population of Cambridge was more then 6,000, 1,600 of whom were inhabitants of the university. By the standards of that time Cambridge was a big town. The first newspaper in Cambridge appeared in 1744. The first bank in Cambridge was opened in 1780.

The railway reached Cambridge in 1845. It stimulated the growth of industry in Cambridge by connecting the town to a huge market in London. From the late 19th century a new in­dustry of making scientific instruments grew up in Cambridge. Cambridge gained gas light in 1823.

From 1880 horse drawn trams ran in the streets of Cam­bridge. The first electricity was generated in Cambridge in 1893.

In the 20th century the university, while still important, did not dominate Cambridge. New industries of electronics grew up. Making surgical and scientific instruments was also important.

Cambridge was made a city in 1951. The first cinema in Cambridge opened in 1910.

Today Cambridge has a population of 109,000 people.

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