Why has Big Ben returned to silence after the New Year Celebrations in London? Comprehension questions and answers
1. When did the 4 year repair programme for Big Ben begin?
21st August 2017
2.What is the alternative name for the bell we normally call Big Ben?
The Great Bell
3. What parts of the clock itself need repair?
The hands, the mechanism and the pendulum
4. What may happen if we don't make the repairs to the clockwork?
The clock itself may fail.
5.After the repairs are complete, what is the expected lifetime of the repaired clock?
We can expect the clock to continue for another 100 years.