中国大学MOOC: 1. River ThamesThe River Thames is the second longest river in the United Kingdom and the longest river entirely in England, rising at Thames Head in Gloucestershire, and flowing into the North Sea at the Thames Estuary. It has a special significance in flowing through London, the capital of the United Kingdom, although London only touches a short part of its course. The river is tidal in London with a rise and fall of 7 meters (23 ft) and becomes non-tidal at Teddington Lock. The catchment area covers a large part of South Eastern and Western England and the river is fed by over 20 tributaries. The river contains over 80 islands, and having both seawater and freshwater stretches supports a variety of wildlife.The river has supported human activity from its source to its mouth for thousands of years providing habitation, water power, food and drink. It has also acted as a major highway both for international trade through the Port of London, and internally along its length and connecting to the British canal system. The river’s strategic position has seen it at the centre of many events and fashions in British history, earning it a description by John Burns as “Liquid History”. It has been a physical and political boundary over the centuries and generated a range of river crossings. In more recent time the river has become a major leisure area supporting tourism and pleasure outings as well as the sports of rowing, sailing, kayaking, and punting. The river has had a special appeal to writers, artists, musicians and film-makers and is well represented in the arts. It is still the subject of various debates about its course, nomenclature and history.The River Thames has twenty-seven bridges. But Tower Bridge, the first bridge over theThames as you travel to London from the sea,is the most famous of them all. What makes TowerBridge so exciting? Why do visitors from all over the worldwantto see it?The thing that is surprising about Tower Bridge is that it is open in the middle. It does this to let the big ships through to the Pool of London.lf you are lucky enough to see the bridge with its two openingarms high in the air,you will never forget it.On its north side stands the Tower of London itself.Although they look like the same age,the Tower is almost a thousand years old,and Tower bridge is only about one hundred.It was built in the 1890s. 2.Why is Tower Bridge open in the middle?

中国大学MOOC: 10.London BridgeLondon Bridge is not the one you’re probably thinking of, that’s Tower Bridge. London Bridge is actually pretty subtle as far as London’s bridges go, it’s low slung（吊挂） and there are no fancy towers. But there’s always been a bridge between Southwark and the City of London dating back as far as the Romans.Between Southwark and the City of London on the north shore the river estuary is much shallower so this was a natural place for the Romans to build a bridge to consolidate their new city, Londinium, which was where the City of London is now. When London declined after the Romans left, the river went back to being a natural border between the Anglo Saxon regions of Mercia and Wessex.A stone bridge was erected in the 12th century – it took 33 years to build and had a chapel （小教堂）dedicated to Thomas Beckett, the Archbishop of Canterbury, placed in the centre. It was from here that pilgrims would set off for Canterbury cathedral. Originally it would have had a drawbridge（开合桥） to let ships through and shops existed on the bridge, which caught fire several times before the Great Fire of London. Several parts of the bridge collapsed over the years, leading to the famous nursery rhyme, “London Bridge is Falling Down”.“London Bridge is Falling Down”is a popular English nursery rhyme. The origins of rhyme likely date back to the Middle Ages or beyond, the song really became popular in the mid 18th century, when the lyrics were first printed in the form we know today. There are many different versions found throughout the world. The most common American version of the rhyme goes a little something like this: London Bridge is falling down,Falling down, falling down.London Bridge is falling down,My fair lady. By the 16th century, structures shot up from the bridge seven stories high and crossing it in peak periods could take an hour. It was crowded, dangerous and smelly. Traitors and outlaws’ heads would be put on pikes at either end.In 1799 the King decided to replace the ancient bridge and hosted a competition for new designs. Built by John Rennie the new bridge was opened in 1831 by King William IV but by 1896 it was back to being the most congested place in London, with over 8,000 pedestrians using it per hour. Thirty years later it started to sink.The bridge was sold to an American in 1968 for $2,460,000 who moved it piece by piece to Arizona and had it rebuilt. Today’s low key London Bridge was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1983 and uses pre-stressed concrete girders.20.According to this passage, London Bridge may give readers the impressions except _____.

中国大学MOOC: 1. River ThamesThe River Thames is the second longest river in the United Kingdom and the longest river entirely in England, rising at Thames Head in Gloucestershire, and flowing into the North Sea at the Thames Estuary. It has a special significance in flowing through London, the capital of the United Kingdom, although London only touches a short part of its course. The river is tidal in London with a rise and fall of 7 meters (23 ft) and becomes non-tidal at Teddington Lock. The catchment area covers a large part of South Eastern and Western England and the river is fed by over 20 tributaries. The river contains over 80 islands, and having both seawater and freshwater stretches supports a variety of wildlife.The river has supported human activity from its source to its mouth for thousands of years providing habitation, water power, food and drink. It has also acted as a major highway both for international trade through the Port of London, and internally along its length and connecting to the British canal system. The river’s strategic position has seen it at the centre of many events and fashions in British history, earning it a description by John Burns as “Liquid History”. It has been a physical and political boundary over the centuries and generated a range of river crossings. In more recent time the river has become a major leisure area supporting tourism and pleasure outings as well as the sports of rowing, sailing, kayaking, and punting. The river has had a special appeal to writers, artists, musicians and film-makers and is well represented in the arts. It is still the subject of various debates about its course, nomenclature and history.The River Thames has twenty-seven bridges. But Tower Bridge, the first bridge over theThames as you travel to London from the sea,is the most famous of them all. What makes TowerBridge so exciting? Why do visitors from all over the worldwantto see it? The thing that is surprising about Tower Bridge is that it is open in the middle. It does this to let the big ships through to the Pool of London.lf you are lucky enough to see the bridge with its two openingarms high in the air,you will never forget it.On its north side stands the Tower of London itself.Although they look like the same age,the Tower is almost a thousand years old,and Tower bridge is only about one hundred.It was built in the 1890s. 1.Which of the following is NOT TRUE about River Thames according to the passage?