Professor, when did you first become interested in astronomy?
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Well, one of my earllest memories is seeing a shower of shooting stars. I was about five or six at the time. I thouth it was the most magical thing I had ever seen.
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How beautiful!
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Yes, it was. I couldn't stop talking about it so my father bought me a telescope. It was the best present I've ever received.
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Were you good at science at school?
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Yes, I was. I was terrible at history and not mush better at geography. I was even worse at languages! And as for art, that was the worst of the lot! No, the only subject I was interested in was science - and astronomy in particular.
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How do you become an astronomer?
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Learm to love the night sky. That's the first step. Get to know the stars, the constellations and the planets. And buy a good telescope!
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Can we see your telescope, Professor?
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Of course! It's a bit bigger than the one that I had when I was five!
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Listen 5 times
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Lesson 2: Conversation
What sort of book do you like reading ross?
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Mm…Let me see. I like reading detective stories. They're the most interesting. How about you?
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Well to be honest I don't read many books. I prefer magazines. Specially fashion magazines. They're the best.
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What do you like watching on TV?
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Well, I don't watch TV very much. But I like programs about animals.
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Did you see professor Bolt program about the night sky?
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Yes, I did. Fantastical world. He's such an interesting man.
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Do you like films?
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Oh yes, I go to the cinema a lot. I like comedies you know funny films.
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I think adventure films a better. They're more exciting.
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How about music? Do you like music?
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Of course, who doesn't? I've got loads of music on my phone.
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Who's your favorite singer?
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Casey Jones. He's Canadian.
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Do you play computer games?
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Sometimes robust in space two is great. Do you know it?
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Yes, but it's not as good as robust in space one. That's funnier.
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I don't think so. But the music is good in that one.
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Yes, it's amazing.
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Listen 5 times
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Lesson Heading
Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom
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Victoria's early life
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Princess Alexandrina Victoria was born into the British royal family on 24th May, 1819.
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Her mother was extremely protective and the princess grew up under strict rules.
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She was never allowed to be alone.
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Her mother, her tutor or her governess was always with her.
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She shared a bedroom with her mother.
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In her playtime, her only friends were her dolls and her little dog, Dash.
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When she was older, she described her childhood as rather sad and lonely.
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At the age of seventeen she was introduced to a handsome young German, Prince Albert.
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She liked him at once but she was not yet ready to marry.
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A new queen
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The princess was 18 in 24th May, 1837.
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Less than a month later, her uncle, the king, died and she became queen on 20th June, 1837.Her first two requests were to have an hour by herself and to have her bed removed from her mother's room to a bedroom of her own.
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She did not want to be called Queen Alexandrina.
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Instead she asked for her second name, Victoria, to be used.
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Marriage
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Victoria was crowned on 28th June, 1838, and she made Buckingham Palace her home.
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Because she was not married, her mother also lived in the palace but Victoria often refused to see her.
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She met Prince Albert several times over the next two years.
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Finally, she asked him to marry her and their wedding took place on 10th February, 1840.
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Victoria adored her new husband from the start and she relied on him for advice and support in her role as queen.
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She had to meet the prime minister, listen to his ideas for government and make decisions about matters of state.
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Family life
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Their first child was born in November, 1840, and over the next seventeen years tehy had eight more children.
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Family life became important to Victoria.
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With Prince Albert's guidance she became a better daughter to her mother.
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When her mother died in March, 1816, Victoria was at her bedside.
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In December of the same year, Prince Albert died after a short illness and Victoria was devastated.
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She wore black for the rest of her life.
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She continued her government duties but she did not live in London.
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She stayed in her castles in the south of England and in Scotland.
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Because of this, she was not so popular as before.
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She was advised to be seen in public more often and gradually she appeared at more public events.The British Empire
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During Victoria's reign the British Empire expanded.
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Mush of India came under British rule and from 1st May, 1876, Victoria was also named Empress of India.
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In her opinion, the expansion of the British Empire helped other countries and protected people from cruel rulers.
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Other countries did not have the same point of view andsaw Britain as a threat.
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Britain was often at war for the Empire, which was more powerful than it had ever been before.
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The Voctrian period
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Victoria's reign was known as the Victorian period.
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Famliy life was important to everyone.
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Bad behaviour was not allowed and children had to be obedient.
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It was time of industrial progress.
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Factories, railways and bridges were built. Cities expanded greatly.
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For those who had good jobs and comfortable homes, life was pleasant, but fot poorer people who lived in the worst houses, life was hard.
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Work in the factories was exhausting and often dangerous.
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Many people spoke out against the harsh conditions and the well-known writer, Charles Dickens, wrote about them.
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Final years
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Victoria's reign of 63 years, 7 months and 2 day was longer then the reign of any king or queen before her.
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She had become immensely popular.
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Her children had married into European families and she had more than thirty grandchildren.
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She was known as 'the grandmother of Europe'.
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When she became ill and died on 22nd January, 1901, aged 81, the whole population was deeply saddened.She was buried next to her husband, Prince Albert.
