Task 1 Complete the spaces 1-4 with the topic sentences a-d.

 (1____) Visitors are attracted by the city’s history, excellent museums, wonderful food and unbelievable nightlife. Add marvelous weather and the open friendliness of its people and it’s not too difficult to understand why Madrid is one of the most popular places to visit in Europe.

(2_____) Madrid was just a small town I the centre of Spain until King Philip 2 made it the capital in 1561. The city rapidly became the political and cultural center of Spain. One of the most popular places with visitors is the impressive Plaza Maya (Main Square), which was built in Madrids early days. Other interesting historical landmarks include the Royal Palace and the Cibeles Fountain (18^th century), and the Toledo Arch, a national monument built in 1817. When the weather is good, why not escape the city and spend some time in the beautiful Retiro Park? Families with young children will enjoy strolling around the park or boating on the lake.

(3_____) One more tourist attraction is the spectacular Prado Museum with its first-rate collection of European art. If you have a little more time, you should definitely go to the Thyssen-Bornemizza Museum and the Queen Sofia national Centre for the Arts. Apart from these three exceptional museums, there are a lot of smaller art museums housing superb collections.

(4_______) Many Madrilenos (i.e. people from Madrid) love going out to the cinema, the theatre or a concert. Others enjoy going from one bar to another, meeting friends along the way. Food is really important to people here and you can eat very well in bars, cafes and restaurants. The city has an outstanding live music scene and the choice is enormous: rock, pop, flamenco, reggae, hip hop, and much more. For people looking for a night out, there are hundreds of clubs and many of them are open all night. People here enjoy life and there is definitely something for everyone.

Task 2Tick the information that is included in the text.

1.There are many good reasons for visitors to go to Madrid.

2.It’s easy to get around the city on the public transport.

3. Madrid was not always an important city.

4. Tourists like going to the city’s Main Square.

5. Madrid has first-class shopping centers, as well as many interesting small shops.

6. There are plenty of things to do in the evening.

7. Sports fans should try to get tickets for a football match at the local stadium.

8. People who enjoy tasty food will not be disappointed.

Task 3 Scan the text for uncountable nouns. Write them all down in your notebook. 

Task 4 Think of a place (city, town) in city in your country. Complete the phrases so that they are true for this place. Tell your groupmates the sentences so that they guess the place.

1. The place (city, town) is situated in (on) …. .
2. One of the most popular places with visitors is …. .
3. Other interesting historical landmarks include …. .
4. When the weather is good (perfect), why not …. .
5. Families with young children will enjoy …. .
6. Young people who enjoy sport should definitely go …. .
7. A must for all visitors is the …. .
8. If you have a lot of free (spare) time, you can ….
9. For people looking for a night out, there are …. .

 Work in pairs. Prepare a description of your native city (town, place) using the vocabulary from the vocabulary list, the text about Madrid and the tasks above. Make up   5. or 6 questions and ask your partner about his (her) native city. After you finish, be ready to tell your group mates about your partner’s native city (town, place).