DICTATION 7

Buckingham House was built for the Duke of Buckingham in the eighteenth century. However, it became a royal residence in 1775 when George III bought it. His son, George IV, began the reconstruction of the house, which was not finished until the time of Queen Victoria who was the first queen to live there.

Today, the Queen’s home is officially called Buckingham Palace, although many Londoners still call it Buck House. When the queen is in residence, a flag called the Royal Standard flies at the top of a pole. The palace is guarded by sentries of the Guards Division. The guards are changed in the morning in the forecourt behind the railings. The ceremony is always very popular with tourists, who take many photographs, mainly because it is so colorful. The new guard marches behind a band and arrives in the forecourt at about 11:30. The ceremony usually lasts half an hour.