Text 65. Curiosities of London

Madam Tussaud’s Museum of Waxworks¹ consists of several halls with wax images of outstanding political characters, poets and writers, world-famous film stars and musicians, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Priestly, Marilyn Monro, Elizabeth Taylor and her 7 husbands, Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Chaplin and many others. A special place is dedicated to the Royal family. The wax figures are standing and sitting, looking at you, their eyes sparkling, and sometimes you feel uncomfortable in their company.

In the musicians’ hall you can hear their tunes from time to time.

The politicians stand in a solemn silence watching each other. A very strange company indeed: Winston Churchill, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, Oliver Cromwell, Nikita Khrushov, Michael Gorbatchev, to name but a few.

There you can also find famous pirates of the past such as Francis Drake, for example, and even some scandalous criminals as Jack the Ripper. Of course, the well-known scientists Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are there, too.

Another place which is worth seeing is Sherlock Holmes museum in central London. You will not find 221 “B” Baker Street, a fictional residence of the Famous detective. But there is a room in the pub “the Sherlock Holmes” in Northumberland Street which keeps the atmosphere of those times of the 19^th century and “personal things” as said belonged to Mr. Holmes – his famous violin, some chemicals for his experiments, the whip from the famous story about the snake, and of course the collection of pipes he smoked. The room is furnished according to the style of those times and when you visit his flat you have the feeling as if the master has just left the room for a moment with Dr. Watson, and Mrs. Hudson is sometimes in the backrooms and you’ll see her entering the room carrying a tray with cups of tea.

Notes:

1. Madam Tussaud’s Museum of Waxworks – музей восковых фигур Мадам Тюссо в Лондоне (открыт в 1835 году Марией Тюссо).

Answer the following questions:

1. How many halls are there in the museum?

2. What images are contained there?

3. What can you find in Mr. Holmes’ room?