Методическая разработка по работе с электронным пособием по страноведению "London - a city of many faces"

Методические рекомендации по работе с электронным пособием по страноведению « Londonisacityofmanyfaces».

Содержание

1. Введение ……………………………………………………………. 2

2. Методические рекомендации по работе с видеосюжетами

Видеосюжет № 1………………………………………3

Видеосюжет № 2………………………………………4

Видеосюжет № 3………………………………………5

Видеосюжет № 4………………………………………6

Видеосюжет № 5………………………………………8

Видеосюжет № 6………………………………………10

Видеосюжет № 7………………………………… 10-11

1. Приложение

Звуковое пособие

Видеосюжет № 1……………………………………12

Видеосюжет № 2…………………………………….13

Видеосюжет № 3……………………………………14

Видеосюжет № 4……………………………………15

Видеосюжет № 5……………………………………16

Видеосюжет № 6……………………………………17

Видеосюжет № 7……………………………………18

Справочный материал ( Reference Material)……………………..20

Пособие предназначено для проведения уроков по аудированию, а также спецкурсов во внеурочное время для учащихся 8-11 классов и 7-8 классов для школ с углубленным изучением английского языка.

Данное пособие по страноведению состоит из 5 частей:

1. 7 видеосюжетов, взаимосвязанных друг с другом. Но каждый видеосюжет имеет законченный смысл и при необходимости можно использовать каждый сюжет по усмотрению учителя. (Video 1-7) К каждому видеосюжету прилагается текст (Scripts).

2. Приложения в конце пособия, который включает в себя страноведческий справочник, поясняющий некоторые реалии (Appendix)

3. Книги для учителя с методическими рекомендациями по каждому уроку.(Teacher’sbook)

4. Тетради для учащегося (Activitybook)

5. Теста для контроля

Пособие содержит электронное творческое домашнее задание, которое рекомендуется выполнять учащимся на флзш-носителях. Данное задание помогает не только проверить знания учащихся по теме «Достопримечательности Лондона», но и повысить интерес учащихся к данной теме путем самостоятельного поиска информации как в справочниках, так и в сети Интернет.

После выполнения всех упражнений по видеосюжетам рекомендуется озвучивание фрагмента при выключенном звуке, то есть учащиеся выступают в роли гидов по городу.

Видеосюжет №1 знакомит учащихся с городом Лондоном в целом: населением, частями города, метро, делая упор на самый популярную достопримечательность Лондона- Смену королевского караула.

Перед прослушиванием видеосюжета рекомендуется проработать новые лексические единицы, необходимые для понимания прслушанного. Следует составить предложения с ЛЕ для закрепления слов.

New words to learn:

1.the fast pace metropolis

2. Initially

3.be made up of

4.expand

5.skyscrapers

6.be convinced by

7. therefore

8.furthermore

9.gain

Нужно обратить внимание учащихся на употребление определенного артикля с названием Соединенного Королевства, дать полное название theUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland, напомнить употребление определенного артикля . В качестве домашнего задания рекомендуется найти в справочниках, Интернете информацию о Самюэле Джонсоне.

Proper Names:

1. The United Kingdom

2.Samuel Johnson

3. The British monarchy

4.The Changing of the Royal guard

Страницу №3 рекомендуется просмотреть перед просмотром.

Учащиеся смотрят фильм и выполняют стр.№3.

При повторном просмотре учащиеся делают упражнение на заполнение пробелов. Учитель обязательно дает новуюустановку перед каждым просмотром.

Учащиеся могут проверить себя по ключу (checkyourself) на этой же странице.

Видеосюжет №2знакомит учащихся с площадью Пиккадили,парком развлечением Крокодеро, районом Сохо и площадью Ковент Гарден.

Необходимо обратить внимание учащихся на употребление определенного артикля перед порядковым числительным с именами королей ( Henrithe 8^th) и при назывании века (the 17^thcentury).

Обратить внимание учащихся на отсутствие артикля перед названиями данных достопримечательностей.

Words to be learned:

Piccadilly Circus

Covent Garden

Charles Fowler

Magna Charta

Найти информацию оЧарльзе Фаулере и что такое Магна Карта рекомендуется в качестве домашнего задания.

Задание на выбор ответа рекомендуется изучить перед просмотром фильма. Можно проверить ответы учащихся: при нажатии на правильный ответ высвечивается слово Great.

Задание на дополнение предложений выполняется при вторичном просмотре.

Piccadilly Circus is the most popular hangout place for Londoners

Soho is the area of London

The Statue of Eros stands on Piccadilly Circus

Soho was named after the hunting cry “soho”

Trocodero is the Entertainment Park

Видеосюжет №3знакомит c Вестминстерским аббатством, Вестминстерским дворцом, зданием Парламента, улицей Уайтхол, Сенатаф и резиденцией премьер-министра на Дауниг стрит,10.

Задание на соотнесение фотографии с названием достопримечательности рекомендуется выполнять после просмотра фильма, но обязательно нужно дать установку перед просмотром: Watchthefilmverycarefully.You will match the picture and the name of the sight.

1. Buckingham Palace

2.The Cenataph

3.Whitehall

4. Magna Charta

5. Westminster Abbey

6. The Saint-Stephen's Tower

7. TheHousesofParliament

8. Downingstreet

Cледующее задание с картой Лондона выполняется с целью ознакомления с общим видом города. Учащимся дается задание найти на карте достопримечательности из видеосюжета.

Задание «Ответы на вопросы» достаточно сложное из-за насыщенности информации в данном видеосюжете, поэтому рекомендуется посмотреть фильм три раза. Но нужно каждый раз менять установку задания перед просмотром.

1.What can you see every day in front of the Buckingham Palace at 11-30 p.m?

2. Where are the coronations of all the British monarchs taken place?

3. What is Westminster Abbey?

4.What style were the Houses of Parliament built in?

5.Who are their architects?

6.How many Chambers are there in Parliament?

7. What is Big Ben? What is its weight?

8.What is Whitehall? What is located there?

9.What is the Cenataph?

10. Who lives at number 10 Downing street?

Необходимо обратить внимание учащихся на употребление артиклей с названиями достопримечательностей.

Видеосюжет №4является самым насыщенным, поэтому для поддержания интереса у учащихся и для снятия утомляемости вся информация, содержащаяся в видеосюжете разделена на три части с разными заданиями:

1.мост Тауэр и Лондонский Тауэр

2. Королевские драгоценности, Доки Святой Катерины, собор Святого Павла, Английский банк

3. Центр Барбикан

Рекомендуется останавливать видеосюжет перед началом другой части задания.

При просмотре видеосюжета учащиеся сталкиваются с новыми словами, которые являются ключевыми для понимания прослушиваемого. Учителю следует отработать фонетически эти слова. Для лучшего понимания информации рекомендуется отработать как в словосочетаниях, так и в предложениях.

1.adrawbridge

2.thegallerywalkway

3.thediggingofthemoat

4. Awallcouryard

5.comeacross

6.carryout

7. to anchor

8.a landmark

9.to be chock -a- block with

10. venerable

Следовало бы обратить особое внимание на употребление определенного артикля с названиями достопримечательностей. Учащимся дается задание найти информацию о королях Ричарде I, Генрихе III, Генрихе VIII, архитекторе Кристофере Рэн.

1.theDocklands

2. the White tower

3.Richard the 1st

4. Henri the 3d

5. the Beefeaters

6. the Ceremony of Closing the Tower

7. Henri the 8th

8. The Jewels House

9. St.-Katherine Docks

10. the Yacht port

11. Saint Paul's Cathedral

12. Christopher Wren

13. the Bank of England

14. the Royal Stock Exchange

15. the Barbican Centre

Задание на выбор правильного ответа рекомендуется выполнять при просмотре видеосюжета. Учащиеся могут проверить свои ответы, кликая мышкой на варианты ответов.

Задание на заполнение пропусков рекомендуется проводить при повторном просмотре. Учащиеся могут проверить себя, нажав на кнопку «check yourself».

Задание на нахождение правильного ответа, касающиеся Ценра Барбикан, учащиеся могут выполнять до прослушивания фильма как в устной, так и в письменной форме.

Видеосюжет №5 посвящается Трафальгарской площади с колонной адмирала Нельсона, Национальной галерее, парку Св.Джеймса, Букингемскому дворцу и мемориалу королевы Виктории.

Задание1.Учащиеся записывают названия достопримечательностей во время просмотра.

Задание 2. Учащиеся выполняют во время вторичного предъявления видеофильма.

1.Trafalgar square was founded between.....................based on desigh by.......................................

2. It was named after..............................................

3.At Trafalgar admiral Nelson’s fleet defeated ............................

4. Admiral Nelson lost ................................in this battle.

5.The square is dominated by...................................

6.. It was designed in ....................by........................

7. The National gallery was built in..............................

8. It contains...............................paintings.

9. The oldest building on the square is......................

10. It was built ...................................

11. The Triumphal Admiralty Arch connects.................

12. The Mall is................................................

13.Allegoric figures arround the queen Victoria Memorial symbolise………………………………

Задание 3. При выполнении задания на соотнесение фотографии учителю следует обратить внимание учащихся на артикли с названиями достопримечательностей. Следует провести фонетическую зарядку с целью закрепления этого материала.

Ключ к заданию: №1- St.James’sPalace

№2-Queen Victoria Memorial (1911)

№3- №6-St.Martin in-the-fields (between 1724-26)

№4- Buckingham Palace (1705)

№5- Triumphal Admiralty Arch

Видеосюжет №6следует смотреть без предварительной отработки, так как задание №1 предполагает догадку учащихся по просмотренному сюжету.

1. the London Eye

2. the Millenium Dome

3. the Millenium bridge

Учащиеся могут проверить свои ответы,кликнув мышкой с правой стороны от текста. Появляется фотография соответствующей достопримечательности.

Задание №2 выполняется при двукратном прослушивании видеосюжета. Учащиеся записывают текст только о колесе обозрения Лондонский глаз.

Видеосюжет №7 посвящен музеям Лондона, музеювосковых фигур Мадам Тюссо и музею Шерлока Холмса.

Задание №1. Учащиеся записывают названия музеев во время просмотра видеосюжета. Учащиеся могут проверить свои ответы по ключу на этой же странице.

Залание № 2. Answer the questions:

1.Whom was the British museum founded by?

2.What can we find in the Egyptian section?

3. How many rooms have the exhibits displayed in?

4. When was madame Tussaud's wax museum established? What will we find here?

5.What street is the Sherlock Holmes museum situated on?

6.How many floors has the museum ?

7. What can we find here?

Задание №3. Учащиеся читают скрипт и находят 11 несоответствий с информацией видеосюжета.

Between the superlatives London also is a city of parks. Probably the most famous is the Bridge museum which houses collections from all over the world. It was founded by sir Hans Slown and after his death in 1753 it inherited his 80 000 of coins. We will be fascinated by the mummies in the Asian section. The large number of paintings has displayed in 94 rooms.

Works from British artists dating from the 16th tp the 18th centuries as well as the International modern art can be viewed in the Tate Gallery.

South Kensington has a number of museums including the Victoria and Albert museum which was established by kingAlbert, and the National History Museum and the Sсience Museum. The Royal Geographical Society not far away is also fascinating.

From Exhibition Road we move along to the area of Baker street. Here we find one of the city’s main attractions- Madame Tussaud’s artmuseum, located on Marival street. The museum was established in 1835 by Maria Grassholds who moved to London from Germany. Here we will find many famous figures including members of the royal family. Entertained will be those who are in extensive knowledge of world politics as well as those who are in show business. Here you can even take a picture with your favourite star.

Sherlock Holmes may be a realcharacter but he is very much alive on Broadstreet. Fans of the detective stories will be fascinated by the four-storied Sherlock Holmes museum where they can marvel a many of fictional character’s gargets.

Приложение

Звуковое пособие.

Sequence 1 script:

Welcome to London, capital of the United Kingdom. London is the fast pace metropolis with the population of more than 7 million people and one of the 10 biggest cities in the world.

Initially London was made up of three quarters: the City, Westminster and Souther.. The City of London expands on the both sides of the river Thames and the embankment place hosts many historic buildings, modern constructions and 20^th century city’s skyscrapers.

One unique factor is that London is the only metropolis in the world which doesn’t use a system of a single administration and rather is administrated by each city quarter separately.

London has been a seat of the British monarchy for hundreds of years and the Changing of the Royal guard has become one of the city’s most popular attractions.

In 1777 Samuel Johnson wrote: “ If you are tired of London, then you are tired of life because London has everything that life has to offer.” He was right and visitors of London are convinced by this fact even today.

London hosts a very mixture of people of all different colours and nationalities not just due to the tourists but many because of local residents. A quarter of the 7 million inhabitants held from all over the world which means that more than 150 different languages are spoken in the city.

The extensive parks give the local residents a chance to relax during their spare time.

London has a massive underground system which with its 255 miles and 273 stations is the most extensive in the world.

A ride in a typical London taxi is a memorable experience, as is the ride on red double-decker buses which cruise around the city.

Tourists may find many companies which specialize in both city as well as original tours. The various tours in open top-buses not only offer great views of the city and local regions but also includes proffesional running commentary in a number of different languages.

A tour of London therefore not only cruise to be a great experience but furthermore helps to gain important information and knowledge.

Sequence 2 script:

Our walk begins on Piccadilly Circus where we will find the statue of Eros in the centre of a dominant public fountain. Eros was standing in this spot since the year 1893.

Piccadilly Circus was established in 1819 at the place where Piccadilly and Regent streets cross. It is mainly known for its bright builtboards which create a glisty atmosphere when lit up at night. Piccadilly Circus has become the most popular hang-out place for Londoners.

The Entertainment Park Crocodero, place of entertainment for both the young and older life.

Piccadilly Circus stands at the gate of the area of London called Soho. Lacester Square founded in 1670 is the main square and a lively centre of Soho. In the 17^th century it was known as the unreputed part of London. Today visitors are attracted by the many artists and they show always something worth seeing there. The square is surrounded by cinemas, nightspots and casinos. Soho used to pose as a hunting around for Henry the 8^th was named after the hunting cry “soho”. Here we can find many cafes and restaurants representing cuisine from all over the world.

A few minutes walk away we come to Covent Garden originally a market established by Charles Fowler in 1828 on the side of the former Covent Garden. It was the London’s biggest fruit and vegetables market for 300 years.

Sequence 3 script:

One of the must for every visitor in London is the Changing of the Royal Guard which takes place every day in front of the Buckingham Palace at 11-30 p.m.

Alongside Saint-James’s Park we reach the heart of Westminster-Westminster Abbey. The coronations of all the British monarchs are taken place here since the set William the Conqueror in 1066. In 1220 Henry the 3^rd constructed the Chapel of the Virgin Mary and with it the reconstruction of the original church. The work wasn’t completed for three hundred years. Its modern day look dates since 1745 after the works of the west House were completed. Members of the Lower House of Parliament, the Commons have traditionally been married in the neighbouring Saint-Margaret church. Visitors can be impressed by obvious great breed and impressive propotions.

Coast by Westminster Palace which structures along the banks of the river Thames this has been the side of the Royal Palace since the 11^th century and since the signing of the Magna Charta ( ВеликаяХартиявольностей) in 1215 has housed the Parliament and the Judiciary.

The present Houses of Parliament were built in a new gothic style after the fire in the mid 19^th century. It was made from golden brown York stone which was designed by the architects Charles Berry and Augusto Pogino. Today it hosts only the Legislative divided into the Upper and Lower Chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Probably its most famous picture is the Saint Steven’s Tower with the 16-tone bell called Big Ben.

Across from Parliament Square you reach the street Whitehall where many important government buildings are located. One of its most important sight is the Cenataph, a memorial to those who lost their lives in both World wars.

Almost everybody has heard of Downing street. For more than 250 years № 10 has been the official home of the British Prime Minister.

Sequence 4 script:

We follow the Thames down to the city quarter and probably the most well-known sight in London -Tower Bridge. Built in 1894 in the gothic style it was only opened to the public in 1982. It is a drawbridge that takes only 90 seconds to open, allowing to ships to sail through the river. Most of the time however it serves as a crossing from London’s heavy car traffic.

Tower bridge is the triumph of engineering. Visitors can find out more about its history and how it operates in the local museum. From the gallery walkway it is possible to gain a wonderful view the city’s skyscrapers, the Docklands as well as the river Thames.

A view over the river to the Tower of London. The original building was the White Tower constructed in the 11^th century by William the Conqueror and which dominates the complex even today.

At the end of the 12^th century Richard the 1^st ordered the digging of the moat. 100 years later Henri the 3d built a wall court yard surrounding the internal court yard so it improved the fort defences.

From its beginning the Tower primaria acted as the city defence and the secure naval passage along the Thames as well as to defend the Royal Palace.

In the court yard of the Tower we not only come across the Royal Gard but also the famous Beefeaters who carry out the evening Ceremony of Closing the Tower.

Things of interest in the White House include the collection of Henri the 8^th armour and weapons.

The main attractions though are the Crown jewels which are located in the Jewels House. The Royal Crowns are jewels decorated with impressing stones of such a kind not seen else anywhere.

On the opposite side of Tower Bridge lie Saint-Katherine Docks. Since the1820th the Docks have been filled with boatsthat returned from journeys from all over the world. However when the boats began anchoringget the river mouth, the Docks were no used any longer. In 1973 they were converted into the Yacht port with a recreation centre and exclusive houses and shops.

One of London’s most famous landmarks is Saint-Paul’s Cathedral. It was built between 1675 and 1711 by the architect Christopher Wren on a location which since the 17^th century had already had four other churches built on it. During its construction the architect was inspired by the Dome of the same Peter Cathedral in Rome.

With its magnificent interiour St. Paul’s Cathedral is the third largest Dome cathedral in the world.

Chock-a-block with banks, the City is one of the most influential and financial centres. Here we find the venerable Bank of England built in 1694. Since 1988 it is held the museum commemorating the origin and the history banking.

Directly opposite stands another important building- the Royal Stock Exchange built in 1566.

The Barbican Centre as an example of architecture from the second half of the 20^th century was built on a 22 hectar area bombed during World War II. It is a huge complex with many functions and much influenced many different forms of the construction. Two third of the City’s population live in the giant Shakespeare, Cromwell and Lodderdale Towers.

Sequence 5 script:

Just like many other cities especially in North America London has a China town. Leal Street is one of parallele garage street align with many asian shops and restaurants.

South of Soho lies the grandious Trafalgar square. The square was founded between 1829 and 1850 based on design by Charles Barry. Today it is a main place for commercians and traffic and has become a frequent venue for demonstrations and protests. It was named after the famous battle on Trafalgar on the Spanish headland where admiral Nelson’s fleat defeated French and Spanish navies. Admiral Nelson , however, lost his life in the battle.

The thousands of pigeons that gather on the square have become a major tourist attraction. The square is dominated by the 55 metre high Nelson’s column. It was designed in around 1840 by the architect William Realgan in honour, of course, of admiral Nelson.

On the northern side of the square stands the National Gallery, a classicist bulding, dating from the year 1836. It contains over 2200 paintings from European painters of many different styles.

The oldest building on the square is the Church of St.-Martin in- the -fields built between 1724-26 in the classiсist- baroque style.

Alongside the navy building the Old Admiralty stands the Triumphal Admiralty Arch which connects Trafalgar square with the Mall. A very wide avenue, the Mall, was founded in the year 1660. on its northern side stand three important palaces, the most dominant being St.James’s Palace, the home of the present Queen mother.

On the other side of the Mall is St.James’s park, the oldest of all the royal parks, established by Henri VIII in the year 1532. It is reputed to be the most beautiful parks of all time. With its grace and charm the park attracts many artists.

One of London’s most important and admire buildings is Buckingham palace, the seat of the British monarchy. The original building was constructed in a 16 hectar garden by the order of John Sheffield in 1705. It was significantly extended during the reign of George IV. In 1837 young queen Victoria moved ina forpart of a 600 hundred room palace. Today the present Queen inhabits only 12 og the rooms in the northern wing.

The open area in front of the Palace is decorated by the queen Victoria memorial and naugurated in 1911. Allegoric figures surround the statue Victoria and symbolize such values as Justice, Truth, Motherwood, Peace and Progress.

Sequence6 script:

A much newer attraction is the London Eye which lies on the south bank of the Thames opposite Westminster Pier. It is the tallest………………..in the world with 1700 tons of steel used in its construction. It looks like a giant bicycle wheel except it is 200 times bigger. Visitors to the London Eye stand comfortably in capsuls and enjoy the breath-taking view of London.

In time for the year 2000 and the start of the new millennium, Greenwich saw the rides of a new high-tech modern construction called the Millenium Dome. In 14 wide-spread zones the Dome offer the look at all spheres of existence at the start of the new century. The zones names: Play, Body, Learn, Work, Transaction, Rest, Mind, Spirit, Talk, National identity, Mobility, Living island, Local global and Sky entertainment.

Among the highlights of the Millenium Dome is the Millenium Show which features live artist performances and visual effects which grab your attention and make a show into a great experience.

The New Millenium bridge was opened in May 2000 and designed by Samuento Foster. The total cost came to 14 million pounds and that is one of the biggest attractions in London. The bridge can hold a limited number of people and its entrance is controlled. The bridge allows for direct entrance to the Tate Gallery and Modern Art which exhibits international contemporary art.

Sequence 7 script:

Between the superlatives London also is a city of museums. Probably the most famous is the British museum which houses collections from all over the world. It was founded by sir Hans Slown and after his death in 1753 it inherited his 80 000 of collection. We will be fascinated by the mummies in the Egyptian section. The large number of exhibits has displayed in 94 rooms.

Works from British artists dating from the 16^th tp the 19^th centuries as well as the International modern art can be viewed in the Tate Gallery.

South Kensington has a number of museums including the Victoria and Albertmuseumwhich was established by prince Albert, and the National HistoryMuseum and the Sсience Museum. The Royal Geographical Society not far away is also fascinating.

From Exhibition Road we move along to the area of Baker street. Here we find one of the city’s main attractions- Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, located on Marival street. The museum was established in 1835 by Maria Grassholds who moved to London from France. Here we will find many famous figures including members of the royal family. Entertained will be those who are in extensive knowledge of world politics as well as those who are in show business. Here you can even take a picture with your favourite star.

Sherlock Holmes may be a fictional character but he is very much alive on Baker street. Fans of the detective stories will be fascinated by the four-storied Sherlock Holmes museum where they can marvel a many of fictional character’s gargets.

Справочный материал ( Reference Material)

1. Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784). The famous writer and compiler of the first English dictionary moved to London as a young man. He thought all the hustle and bustle was so fantastic that he stayed for the rest of his life.

2. Charles Fowler (May 17, 1792 – September 26, 1867), English architect, was born at Cullompton, Devon.

3. Magna Charta - Великая хартия вольностей (лат. Magna Carta Libertatum, англ. The Great Charter) — грамота, подписанная английским королем Иоанном Безземельным 15 июня 1215 года и ставшая в последующем одним из основополагающих конституционных актов Англии.

4. William the Conquerer (1027-1087) also William I. The Duke of Normandy who became King of England after defeating King Harold at the battle of Hastings in 1066. He gave a lot of power to other Normans and built many castles to control the English. He changed the organisation of society and the rules about who owned the land.

5. A cenotaph is a tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person that has since been interred elsewhere.

An annual Remembrance Day service is held at the Cenataph in Whitehall, London in honour of the servicemen and women who died for their country.

More than one million men and women from Britain and the Commonwealth died in World War I between 1914 and 1918, and nearly 500,000 in World War II from 1939 to 1945.

6.Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Ireland, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period. He was known as C?ur de Lion, or Richard the Lionheart, even before his accession, because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior.The Muslims (referred to as Saracens at the time) called him Melek-Ric or Malek al-Inkitar (King of England).

By age 16, Richard was commanding his own army, putting down rebellions in Poitou against his father, King Henry II.Richard was a central Christian commander during the Third Crusade, effectively leading the campaign after the departure of Philip Augustus and scoring considerable victories against his Muslim counterpart, Saladin, but was unable to reconquer Jerusalem.

7. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.

Besides his six marriages, Henry VIII is known for his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. Henry's struggles with Rome led to the separation of the Church of England from papal authority, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and establishing himself as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. He changed religious ceremonies and rituals and suppressed the monasteries, while remaining a believer in core Catholic theological teachings, even after his excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church. Henry also oversaw the legal union of England and Wales with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.

Henry was an attractive and charismatic man in his prime, educated and accomplished. He ruled with absolute power. His desire to provide England with a male heir—which stemmed partly from personal vanity and partly because he believed a daughter would be unable to consolidate the Tudor Dynasty and the fragile peace that existed following the Wars of the Roses—led to the two things that Henry is remembered for today: his wives, and the English Reformation that made England a Protestant nation. In later life he became morbidly obese and his health suffered; his public image is frequently depicted as one of a lustful, egotistical, harsh and insecure king.

Henry is famously remembered for having six wives—two of whom he had beheaded—which helped to make him a cultural icon, with many books, films, plays, and television series based around him and his wives.

8. The Yeoman Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary, popularly known as the Beefeaters, are ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London. In principle they are responsible for looking after any prisoners at the Tower and safeguarding the British crown jewels, but in practice they act as tour guides and are a tourist attraction in their own right, a point the Yeoman Warders acknowledge.

The Yeomen Warders are often incorrectly referred to as Yeomen of the Guard, which is actually a distinct corps of Royal Bodyguards. Gilbert and Sullivan perpetuated this confusion by naming their opera The Yeomen of the Guard when it actually concerns Yeomen Warders.

9. Marie Tussaud (1761–1850) was born Marie Grosholtz in Strasbourg, France. Her mother worked as a housekeeper for Dr. Philippe Curtius, who was a physician skilled in wax modelling. Curtius taught Tussaud the art of wax modelling.