Write out a few sentences from the text about the position of the pound at that time

10. Find the answers in the text:

What was the strongest currency over the holiday?

What sale sent the pound a pfennig higher?

What was the position of the pound for spot transactions in New York on November 18?

Role play

Imagine you are speaking with an Englishman. Ask him a few questions about the words and sentences which were not quite clear to you at the beginning.

Unit forty nine

A visit to Oxford

Text

On the eve of their departure to Moscow the participants had some free time and Mr. Hill proposed they should make a trip to Oxford.

Oxford, first and foremost, is known for its University. The Uni­versity began itself in the middle of the 12th century, and by 1300 there were already 1,500 students. At this time, Oxford was a wealthy town, but by the middle of the 14th century, it was poorer, because of a decline in trade and because of the terrible plague, which killed many people in England.

Relations between the students and the townspeople were very unfriendly, and there was often fighting in the streets. On the 10th February 1355, the Festival of St. Scholastica, a battle began which lasted two days. Sixty-two students were killed. The townspeople were punished for this in two ways: they had to walk through the town to attend a special service on every St Scholastica's day until 1825. Worse than this, the University was given control of the town for nearly 600 years.

Nowadays there are about 12,000 students in Oxford, and the University and the town live quietly side by side.

When the coach came to Oxford the participants bought some colourful books on Oxford, maps and some souvenirs. Then they went sightseeing and stopped near Trinity College.

Tatjana: The college looks great. I wonder how old it is.

David: I myself am an Oxford graduate but I don't remember when exactly it was founded. Let's look in the guide book. Oh, it was started in 1315.

Tatjana: Is it the oldest college?

David: Oh, no. Jesus College and some others are much older.

Tatjana It's very beautiful. I'd like to study here. Is the chapel open to the public?

David: Yes, it is. Let's go and look. The choir of this college is famous in England They sing on TV every year at Christmas