Piccadilly Circus Goes Dark

         The advertising screens at Piccadilly Circus, central London, after they were switched off in preparation for redevelopment on Jan. 16, 2017.
 
          The iconic array of advertising will be under construction until late 2017 

     The billboard lights at Piccadilly Circus, London’s answer to Times Square, have been switched off for what will be the longest period of time since World War Two.
 
     Land Securities, the real estate company which has owned the iconic advertising site since the 1970s, said on their website that a new “cutting edge’ single screen is scheduled to be switched on in fall 2017, replacing the six current screens.
 
     The distinctive curved shape of the present lights will be retained, with the new design set to be Europe’s largest sole digital screen. The boards have typically attracted high-profile brands, such as Samsung and Coca-Cola, with Perrier being the first to advertise there in 1908. The original bulbs were replaced by neon lights, which in turn gave way to LED displays by 2011.
 
     The site, set in the heart of London’s West End, will be covered by a protective banner, which will be used for further advertising during the redevelopment. Since World War Two the boards have only darkened for the funerals of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Princess Diana.

Are these senteces TRUE or FALSE

1.      The screens have never been switched off for so long. 
2.      They will reduce the number of screens. 
3.      The pattern of the screen will remain the same.
4.      There will be no publicity during the works.

Read the text and answer the following sentences 

1. When were the lights first switched off?
2. Which was the first company advertising its product in the panel?
3. How many screens are there?

Vocabulary 

1. display panel 
2. planned
3. actual 
4. preserved
5. painted
6. sign

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KEY

True or false?

1. False “ what will be the longest period of time since World War Two”
2. True “a new “cutting edge’ single screen [...]replacing the six current screens”
3. True “The distinctive curved shape of the present lights will be retained”
4. False “The site, set in the heart of London’s West End, will be covered by a protective banner, which will be used for further advertising during the redevelopment”

Questions

1. The lights were first switched off for Winston Chruchill's funeral.
2. The first company which advertised its product in the panel was Perrier.
3. There are six screens.

Vocabulary

1. billboard
2. scheduled
3. current
4. retained
5. banner