Look at the title and the pictures. Who are these men? Where do they work? Read through and check.
The Yeoman Warders
A trip to London is never complete without a visit to the Tower of London. The site dates back to the 11th century and is guarded by the Yeoman warders, or ‘Beefeaters’.
King Henry VII first introduced Beefeaters in 1485 1) ….. he used them as bodyguards. Their duties included looking after the prisoners in the Tower and guarding the Crown Jewels. These days though, their main role is to act as guides for the many tourists 2) ….. visit the Tower every year. They also take care of the eight big black ravens 3) ….. live in the tower.
There are 37 Yeoman Warders at the Tower, 4) ….. were in the armed forces for 22 years or more. They live in the Tower with their families. On 1st July 2007 a service woman, Moira Cameton, became the first female Yeoman Warder in the history of the institution.
The Beefeaters are most famous for their striking red and gold uniform, but they actually only wear this on formal occasions. Most of the time they wear a dark blue uniform with red trimmings.
No one is exactly sure 5) ….. the name ‘Beefeater’ comes from. One theory says that the warders used to be paid with meat instead of money! Others say that the name comes from the French word buffetier. Buffetiers were guards in the palace of French Kings. They protected the King’s food.
Read the text again. Choose the correct word to complete the gaps. Listen and check.
1.
A. who
B. when
2.
A. that
B. where
3.
A. that
B. who
4.
A. who
B. whose
5.
A. where
B. when
Decide if the questions are T (true), F (false) or NS (not stated). Compare with your partner.
1. Beefeaters guard the Tower of London.
2. They have been around for over 500 years.
3. They don’t help tourists.
4. They have two uniforms.
5. Beefeaters eat lots of meat.
Explain the words in bold.
Tell your partner three new things you have learnt about ‘Beefeaters’.
Collect information using the Internet about a popular tourist attraction in your country where you can see people in special uniforms. Write an e−mail to your English penfriend. Include:
• where it is
• who you can see there
• what they look like
• what they do there