Countries, Rivers and Famous Architectural Structures of the World
Primary 4 · English
Countries, Rivers and Famous Architectural Structures of the World
Lesson 4 of 5
45 min
At night, the dome of the Kigali Convention Centre lights up in many colours. People take photos of it from all over the city. It has become a symbol of Kigali.
Many cities have a famous building like this. Today you will read about two of the most famous buildings in the world and learn to compare them.
These texts are adapted from the Simple English Wikipedia articles Great Pyramid of Giza and Eiffel Tower.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is near Cairo, the capital city of Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians built it more than 4,500 years ago, for a king called Khufu. It took about 20 years to build. The workers moved huge stones and lifted them into place. They were not slaves. They were paid for their work.
The pyramid is made of more than two million blocks of stone. When it was new, it was 146 metres tall. For more than 3,800 years, it was the tallest building in the world. Today it is a little shorter, because some of the stone has worn away. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and it is the only one that is still standing.
The Eiffel Tower is in Paris, the capital city of France. It is made of iron. It was built between 1887 and 1889 for a big world fair. It was supposed to stand for a short time only, but the city decided to keep it. The tower is 300 metres tall, or 324 metres with the aerial on top. Since it was built, it has been painted 18 times!
Who built the Great Pyramid, and for whom?
The Ancient Egyptians built it for a king called Khufu.
What is the Eiffel Tower made of?
Iron.
Why is the Great Pyramid shorter today than when it was new?
Because some of the stone has worn away.
| Building | City and country | Built | Height (about) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Pyramid of Giza | Giza, near Cairo, Egypt | more than 4,500 years ago | 139 m today |
| Eiffel Tower | Paris, France | 1889 | 324 m |
| Burj Khalifa | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2010 | 828 m |
| Kigali Convention Centre | Kigali, Rwanda | 2016 | famous for its dome |
Cairo is bigger and busier than Kigali. Kigali is cleaner and greener. Paris is colder than Kigali in December.
Speak: Play “Which building am I?” Say three clues: I am in Africa. I am more than 4,500 years old. I am made of stone. Your friend guesses.
Write a short paragraph about a famous building in Rwanda or in the world. Say where it is, when it was built, what it is made of, and compare it with one other building.
Tip
“Was built in” + a year. We usually don't know who laid each stone, so we talk about the building: The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889.
Write your answers in your exercise book, then check.
Which building in the table is the oldest?
Answer: the Great Pyramid of Giza
Complete: The Burj Khalifa is ___ (tall) than the Eiffel Tower.
Answer: taller
Complete: The Eiffel Tower was ___ in 1889.
Answer: built
In which country is the Eiffel Tower?
Answer: France (in Paris)
Write one sentence comparing Kigali with another city.
Answer: Example: Kigali is smaller than Cairo, but it is cleaner.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Match each building to where it is.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
