Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch whose rule spanned seven decades,
died on Thursday at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The Queen’s four offspring were at Balmoral Castle when the announcement was made.
Charles rushed to the Scottish castle earlier on Thursday together with his wife, Camilla. The
5 Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, known as the Princess Royal, was already there.

Prince William, who is now the heir apparent to the throne, arrived at Balmoral Thursday
afternoon together with the Queen’s other two sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, as
well as Edward’s wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.

The King and The Queen Consort remained at Balmoral that evening and returned to London
10 a couple of days after, the Royal family said in a statement posted on its official Twitter account,
referring to Charles as the new King for the first time.

The King said in a statement that the Queen’s death was “a moment of the greatest sadness
for me and all members of my family.” “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished
Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the
15 country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” he
said in the statement.

Crowds of mourners gathered outside Balmoral Castle and other royal residences, despite
heavy downpours in parts of the UK on Thursday evening. Many brought flowers and lit
candles, some looking visibly shaken by the news.

20 In keeping with the royal tradition, a written statement announcing the Queen’s death was
displayed on the gates of Buckingham Palace. In a striking moment just after the official
announcement was made, the heavy rain battering London stopped and a large double
rainbow appeared over the palace.

1. Say whether the following sentences are TRUE or FALSE according to the text. COPY the evidence
from the text.

a) After the queen´s death, few people could go to the royal residences because of the rain.

b) After the palace representatives announced the queen had deceased, the rained ceased.

c) The new king of England arrived at Balmoral the same day as the queen passed away.
2. ANSWER the questions below. COPY no more than 10 words and/or a number from the text
to answer each question.

a) What was the length of Queen Elizabeth’s reign?

b) Where did the new King and the Queen Consort inform they were returning from Balmoral to London?

c) Who came together around the royal dwellings carrying flowers and candles?

3. Find a word or phrase that means the same as…

a) a person who inherits or has a right to inherit from another person who dies (lines 5 - 10):

b) grieve (lines 10 – 14):

c) innumerable (lines 15 - 19):

d) the opposite of ‘birth’: (lines 18 - 23):

4. Write a synonym of the words below.

a) offspring: b) remained:

c) cherished: d) shaken:

5. Write an antonym of the words below.

a) longest: b) new:

c) sadness: d) heavy:

6. Match the words to the definitions

spanned ran fast, hurried

rushed individuals who grieve or express sadness over the death

passing extended or reached over

loss impressive, noticeable

mourners end of life

striking the state of being deprived of or of being without something that one has had