Hundreds of couples leave 'love locks' across London ahead of Valentine's Day

Some people say it with chocolates, others say it with flowers but now a growing number of lovestruck couples are showing their affection with ‘love locks’.

            Two days before Valentine’s Day hundreds of padlocks bearing the names of lovers have appeared across bridges in London.

            In a custom that is thought to have originated in Hungary in the 1980s, couples leave the locks in a place that is important to them and then throw the key in the water as a symbol of their hearts locking together in eternal love. Occasionally, lovers leave the key in the lock until they can return to their cherished location.

            More than 100 have been secured to the grids on Tower Bridge while others have been left along the Embankment. Other locks have appeared in less romantic places, such as on a fence guarding a derelict piece of land near Shoreditch train station.

            The locks have appeared in countries and cities around the world from China to Paris. In Rome the number of locks left on the Ponte Milvio bridge on the river Tiber was so large last year that authorities stepped after claiming they were harming the structure.

            Officials in London said that in some cases they have removed the locks to stop the trend catching on.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) People are changing the way they express their love.

b) Lovers are waiting for February 14^th to hang their locks

c) The locks are only placed across bridges.

d) London authorities will take no action.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) What do lovers do with the lock keys?

b) What is the problem with locks in Rome?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as:

a)    Appreciate par 3

b)    Grating par 4

c)    Fashion par 6

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) a growing number of lovestruck couples are showing their affection with ‘love locks’.

Affection……………………………………………………….

b)  It is thought that this custom was originated in Hungary in the 1980s.

This custom………………………………………………………………………………..

           

c) Officials in London said that in some cases they have removed the locks to stop the trend catching on.

“…………………………………………………………………………………..”,officials in London said.

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

“Valentine’s Day tradition was created by the big department stores to make a profit”. Do you agree?