LONDON London began life as a Roman fortification at a place where the Thames was narrow enough and it was possible to build the bridge. A wall was built around the town for defence, but during the long period of peace which followed the Norman Conquest, people built outside the walls. The building continued, especially to the west of the city. In 1665 there was a terrible plague in London, so many people left the city and escaped to the villages in the surrounding countryside. In 1666 the Great Fire of London ended the plague, but it also destroyed much of the city. Although people returned to live in the rebuilt city after the plague and the Great Fire, there were never again so many Londoners living in the city centre.
These days not many people live in the city centre. Today the metropolis of Greater London covers some 610 square miles (1580 square kilometres) and the suburbs of London continue even beyond this area. The gradual growth of the city helps to explain the fact that London does not have just one centre, it has a number of centres, each with a distinct character: the financial and business centre called the City, the shopping and entertainment centre is the West End, and the government centre in Westminster.
The City of London is one of the major banking centres of the world and you can find banks of many nations in the famous Threadneedle Street and the surrounding area. Here you can find the Bank of England. Nearby is the Stock Exchange which is like a busy market, except that here no food but shares in commercial companies are bought and sold.
The East End covers a wide area to the east of the City. There are many docks and warehouse there. It is also one of those areas of London where people from abroad have come to find work. The East End is also famous as the centre of the clothing industry in London.
The West End is the name given to the area of central London north from The Mall to Oxford Street. It includes Trafalgar Square, the main shopping areas, and the entertainment centres of Soho, Piccadilly Circus and Shaftsbury Avenue. Its name is associated with glamour and bright lights.

Read the text and fill in the blanks the correct words.
London has (just one centre/ a number of centres).
The City of London is one of the major banking centres of (Great Britain/ the word).
The Stock Exchange is like a busy market where (food/ shares) in commercial companies are bought and sold.
Westminster is (the financial and business/ government) centre of London.
The East End is also famous as (the centre of the clothing ​

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