Файл: Л.С. Пасынков Россия - независимое государство (английский язык).pdf

35

1.Pair work.

a)Compare your list with the list of your neighbour. Have a talk about those celebrations which are not mentioned in the text.

b)Ask your neighbour about the traditions and customs in his/her family. Which of the National celebrations do they keep up?

c)What are their family celebrations? Have a talk.

1.Speaking.

Choose the celebration you are eager to speak about and find the additional information about it. Make a report to your groupmates.

2. Check yourself.

Read the text once again. Make all necessary notes. Translate these sentences from Russian into English.

1. Россия, как и любая другая страна, имеет свои обычаи и традиции. (as well as)

2.Больше всего россияне любят праздновать Новый год, когда в каждом доме есть нарядная ель, искрящееся шампанское и всюду счастливые люди обмениваются подарками, поют и танцуют.

3.В России также любят праздновать религиозные праздники, такие как (as) Рождество, символизирующее рождение Христа, и Пасху, символизирующую возрождение Иисуса Христа.

4.Еще одним популярным праздником в России является Женский день (8 Марта), когда мы отдаем дань уважения женщинам.

5.Самой знаменательной датой в России считается День Победы.

6.Жители русских деревень до сих пор водят хороводы и, исполняя частушки, ездят на тройках.

7.Русская кухня очень разнообразна и включает разные супы, каши, пельмени, пирожки и квас.

8.Таким образом, обычаи и традиции России связаны с национальными праздниками, а также отражают обычную жизнь людей.

1. Creative work.

Read the following.

Tastes differ. This saying is found almost in every language. People really have different tastes. In the first place it displays in food. There are in-

36

dividual tastes and there are common tastes of a nation established by history and customs. A Frenchmen will eat a fried frog with great pleasure, but a Russian would choose something else. Pigs are not eaten in Moslem countries though Europeans are fond of pork. A sandwich of raw veal is a delicacy for a German while in other countries raw meat is not served. Fried ants are eaten in Africa, dogs, in South Asia.

One may cite many other cases proving the saying. What do you know about food customs in different countries? How could you explain this phenomenon? Express your ideas in the composition of your own.

37

PART III

KUZBASS

1. The Kemerovo region was founded on the 26th of January in 1943. It’s located in the Russian Federation, in the south-east of West Siberia. The territory of the Kemerovo region is equal to 95,5 thousand square kilometres. Its population is about 3 million 180,2 thousand. Kemerovo is the centre of the Kemerovo region with the population of about 600,01 thousand people.

Text A. INDUSTRY

2.Let’s get acquainted with the region we live in. Kuzbass is really rich. Rich in its fertile lands, forests, rivers and lakes. Rich in animals, birds, fish. But its main wealth is hidden underground. These are iron ore, dolomite, quartzits, manganese. These are flux limes and refractory clays. These are polimetals, aluminium, copper ores, phosphorites, mineral paints and mineral waters. These are unique natural molecular sieves-zeolites. The main wealth of Kuzbass is coal

It was the underground wealth, that determined the structure of industry and the trades of the inhabitants of the Kemerovo region, which although it had no more than one per cent of the territory of Siberia, became the largest industrial complex in Russia.

3.Industrial structure of Kuzbass (in per cents to the total output)

1. Geologists evaluate the coal deposits of Kuzbass as 725 billion tons. Over 200 thousand works are occupied in the coal industry. Coal mining is done by 72 mines, 25 collieries, it is treated by 17 refinery plants.

2. One of the biggest centres of metallurgy in Russia is the Kuzbass city Novokuznetsk. Wide scale industry in Novokuznetsk was started in 1932, when the first blast-furnace of the Novokuznetsk metallurgical combinat was

38

put into ope-ration. Metallurgical products make up for near half of the export of the Kemerovo region.

3.Kemerovo is not only the centre of chemistry in Kuzbass, but of the complete western part of Russia. Kuzbass produces about 600 items of chemistry. These are several chemical enterprises in Kuzbass, such as the productional combine “Azot”, the joint-stock company “Tokem”, the productional combines “Chemprom”, “Chemvolokno” and Anilino-pain-factory.

4.The Kuzbass energy system remains one of the most powerful in Russia. The main consumers of electrical energy-ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, the coal mining and railway transport.

5.Machine building takes third place in the structure of industry in Kuzbass. It represents 108 enterprises. This branch of industry specializes on the output of mining equipment and electrotechnical equipment.

Text B. NATURE

6.The Kemerovo region can be strictly divided into two parts, the hills and plains, which together are called the Kuznetsk basin (Кузнецкая котловина). Stretching from the north-west to the south-east 350 kilometres, the basin reminds a right angled rectangle. Probably the only place in the world, where upon such a small territory nature was so generous with its gift.

7.If we take a look at the map, we will see, that the green colour, standing for forests, covers practically the whole area along the right bank of the Tom river from Novokuznetsk in the south to the Siberian railway in the north. The whole north is completely green (Mountainous Shoria). The pride of our forests is the Siberian cedar. A majestic tree, that grows 30-40 metres high having a diametre at the bottom of its trunk up 1,5 metres. The cedar can live 400-500 years and under favourable conditions longer. Besides the cedars, in Kuzbass forests can be met the pine trees (пихты), the larch trees (лиственницы), and among the dense taiga of Shoria, we meet with a particular of Siberian nature – the lime tree (липа).

8.Although the territory of Kuzbass is small, the climate differences are considerable. The climate in the mountains is humid and comparatively cold. The eastern slopes lie in the “rain” shade and receive little rain. The foreststeppe and the eastern slopes (лесостепи) of the Salair range have a drought (засуха) nearly every year.

9.The climate, where the majority of 3 million population of Kuzbass live in, is continental, but not as severe as in the mountain. The frosts in winter

39

are severe and reach – 450C, but this occurs not so often, the temperature in summer can go up to 370C. July is the only month, that has a “guarantee” against morning frost. The average winter temperature in Kemerovo is minus 190C, Novokuznetsk — minus 17,40C. The July temperature in Kemerovo is 28,60C, Novokuznetsk — 28,70C. As an average the winter in Kuzbass lasts five months, summer – three months, spring and autumn each two months.

10.The Tom is the main waterway. It starts in Khakasi. At the point, where Kazira (Казыра) river enters the Tom, the Tom crosses the border of our region moving from south-east to north-west. The length of the Tom river is 827 kilometres. Kondoma is a left bank tributary to the Tom. Some scientists consider, that the river bed of the Kondoma older than the Tom’s river bed. If this is true, then it turns out that the Tom was a tributary to the Kondoma and not vice versa. The Belsu is a right bank tributary to the Tom river. Probably, the Belsu is the only river, the ecology of which has not been effected by industry. Our picturous river the Kiya is in the east of the region. The word translated from the turkic language means “rocky”.

1. Pre-reading task.

Think over and say what you have already known about Kuzbass and what you want to know from the text about Kuzbass: its industry and its nature.

2. Reading task.

Home individual work. Read the text and give its Russian translation using the dictionary.

3. Comprehension check.

Look through the text once again and answer the questions:

1. What was the date of foundation of Kuzbass?

2.Where is Kuzbass situated?

3.What is the territory of Kuzbass?

4.What is the main wealth of Kuzbass?

5.What influenced the structure of industry and the trades of Kuzbass?

6.What are the main industries of the Kemerovo region?

40

7.What is the geographical position of the Kuznetsk basin?

8.What kinds of trees grow up in the Siberian forests?

9.What is the climate of Kuzbass?

10.What Kuzbass rivers do you know?

1. Summarising.

Match the summary with the correct paragraph.

Electrical energy: the characteristic The coal industry description

The characteristic of Kuzbass climate The important waterways of Kuzbass

The place where the gifts of nature are concentrated One of the Russia’s biggest centres of metallurgie The chemical centre of the western part of Russia The general information about the Kemerovo region

The average summer and winter temperature in Kuzbass The main wealth of Kuzbass

The specialisation of Kuzbass machine-building industry The description of Kuzbass forests

The per cent correlation of the industrial structure of Kuzbass

41

PART IV

MOSCOW

Moscow is the capital of Russia, its political, economic, commercial and cultural centre.

Moscow is the largest metropolitan area in Russia with the population of about 10 million people, one of the largest cities in the world. The city is situated on low hills on the banks of the Moskva River. The original settlement was founded where the Kremlin now stands. Because of its central location in the heart of European Russia, Moscow became a focal point for important trade routes.

Moscow was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1147. It is the official date of the foundation of Moscow, though the settlement had been there for some time before. It was fortified and became a market town in the late 12th century. The town was almost totally destroyed in 1237 and 1293 during the Tatar invasion. In the early 14th century Moscow became the political and religious centre of the north-eastern part of Russia. It was again captured by the Tatars in 1382. By the end of the 15th century, Moscow extended its rule over most of central and northern Russia. Its rulers continued to build fortifications around it.

The transfer of the capital by Peter the Great to St. Petersburg in 1712 brought a period of decline to Moscow. In 1812 came the Napoleon's conquest and the city was destroyed by fire. The city was rebuilt within a short period. In the 19th century Moscow became a centre for industry and commerce, as well as a leading cultural, scientific and political centre.

Moscow is the seat of the Government of the Russian Federation. Moscow is the Russia's largest industrial city. Nearly 30 percent of the

city's workforce is employed in industry and industrial research. Some of Russia's largest plants are located in or around Moscow. Metallurgy, metal processing and engineering are the largest industrial sectors. Other large sectors arc textiles, clothing and footwear, chemical and petrochemical industries, electronic instruments and automation equipment.

Moscow, apart from its political, administrative and economic functions as the capital of Russia, it is its leading cultural centre. It is the seat of the Academy of Sciences. The Russia's largest University, over 80 scientific, research institutions, technical colleges and academies of music and art are situated here. The city also contains the Lenin Library, with one of the largest and richest archives in the world, over 80 museums, the famous Bolshoi and Maly Theatres, opera and ballet. It is one of the world's largest publish-

42

ing centres. Moscow is the Russia's main tourist attraction.

ST. PETERSBURG

St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great as the «Window to the West». Thousands of workmen were brought from all parts of Russia to build a new city on the swampy land at the mouth of the Neva River. Peter the Great was in a hurry. The work was fast and hard, and workmen dropped dead by the hundreds. But the work went on. St. Petersburg, a city of great beauty, with palaces, cathedrals, churches, government buildings became the capital.

Under later rulers the new capital of the Russian Empire grew rapidly in wealth and beauty. Architects were brought from western Europe to lay out the city in harmonious squares. Buildings were constructed of grey and rosecoloured granite. The Hermitage Palace and the Winter Palace, the homes of the tsars, were equal to any in Europe.

When the first world war began in 1914, the German-sounding name, St. Petersburg, was changed to Petrograd. After the Great October Revolution the city was renamed after Lenin.

During the Great Patriotic War the city suffered a great deal. The German armies laid siege to it in 1941, and for the next year and a half it was cut off from the rest of the country. No food could be brought in, and people died of starvation. Daily shelling and air raids destroyed parts of the city, thousands of people were killed. Rebuilding took years.

Now St. Petersburg is an important industrial, cultural and educational centre. The population of the city is over 5 million.

St. Petersburg is indeed a wonderful city. At every turn there is something to catch your eye. The Winter Palace, the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, St Isaac's Cathedral, the Peter-and-Paul Fortress, the Admiralty building attract thousands of tourists from every country of the world.

Petersburg's many museums house some of the world's famous art collections. The Hermitage, for example, contains the richest collection of pictures in the world; The city is called Northern Venice because there are 65 rivers and canals there with artistically decorated bridges. It's also famous for its beautiful white nights.

43

PUSHKIN

Pushkin is the most important Russian writer of all time, like Shakespeare in England or Dante in Italy. Pushkin provided the standards for Russian arts and literature in the 19th century.

Pushkin was born in Moscow in 1799 into an upper-class family In 1811 he entered a lyceum at Tsarskoye Selo. The education offered at the lyceum shaped Pushkin's life.

He graduated from the lyceum in 1817 and began to work in the foreign office in St. Petersburg.

In 1820 the foreign office transferred Pushkin to Ekaterinoslav, and later to Odessa for writing anti-tsarist poetry. In 1824, for his letter against the tsar, he was exiled to Mikhailovskoye. In 1824, Tsar Nicholas I allowed Pushkin to return to Moscow.

Pushkin felt in love with Natalya Goncharova, who was 16 then, and in 1830 they got married. His wife was suspected of an affair with Baron Georges d'Antes; this became the subject of gossip. Pushkin challenged d'Antes to a duel. Pushkin was wounded and died two days later.

Pushkin was the Russia's greatest poet. In his works he was first influenced by 18th century poets, and then by Lord Byron. Finally he developed his own style, which was realistic but classical in form.

His earliest long poem was romantic «Ruslan and Lyudmila» (18181820). A series of verse tales followed «The Prisoner of the Caucasus», «The Robber Brothers», «The Fountain of Bakhchisarai», and «The Gypsies». They were inspired by Byron's poetry.

In 1823 Pushkin began writing his masterpiece «Eugene Onegin», a novel in verse. «Eugene Onegin» became the linguistic and literary standard. It is a commentary on the life of the early 19th century Russia. It is noted for brilliant verse.

He also wrote other long poems, including «Bronze Horseman» (1833), the finest collection of lyrics in Russian literature.

Pushkin created also a number of masterpieces in drama and prose. «Little Tragedies» and «The Stone Guest» are among the best works in the world history of drama. Pushkin's love to Russia's past resulted in his historical drama, «Boris Godunov» (1825). «Tales of the Late I.P.Belkin», «Dubrovsky», «The Captain's Daughter» are the most important of his prose works. Pushkin's use of Russian influenced the great Russian writers Turgenev, Goncharov, Tolstoy.

Pushkin's early death shocked the country. Pushkin, called by many «the sun of Russian literature», belongs among the foremost poets and writers of the world.

44

IVAN THE TERRIBLE

Probably one of the most famous figures in Russian history is Ivan IV, called the Terrible because of his cruelty.

He ruled in the period when boyars, Russian hereditary landlords were fast losing their political power, their lands, and sometimes, due to Ivan IV, their lives. On the other hand, more and more power was given to dvoryane, service landlords.

The three-year-old Ivan IV became grand prince in 1533, after the death of his father, Vasili III. At first his mother, Yelena Glinsky, ruled instead of his son. After her death in 1538 the Shuiskys and Belskysi struggled for the throne. In 1547 Ivan IV was crowned tsar of all Russia. In 1549 the first zemsky sobor was held.

Ivan IV decided that all landowners should begin military service when they were 15, and serve till the end of their lives. He created also a standing army, streltsy. This was necessary because Russia had many enemies. Tatars of Kazan, Astrakhan and the Crimea continued to raid the territory of Russia.. The Livonian Knights blocked Russia's access to the Baltic Sea.

Ivan first began a campaign against Kazan and defeated it in 1552. In 1554-1556 his armies took Astrakhan, thus getting for Russia the Volga Valley and the way to the Caspian Sea.

The tsar's chief interest lay in trade with the West through the Baltic, He began a war against Livonia which lasted 24 years and ended in nothing: in the end Russia lost everything it had conquered earlier during the war.

In 1553, Ivan fell seriously ill. Thinking he was close to death, he wanted boyars to give an oath in their loyalty to his son Dmitry. Boyars did- n't want to; moreover, one of them, a close companion of Ivan IV, suddenly escaped to Lithuania. Ivan IV left Moscow for the town of Alexandrov, and set up a state within a state, called «Oprichnina». The rest of the land was called «Zemshchina», where the boyar duma continued to govern. He also organised a new guard, Opritchniki, who were famous for their cruelty.

They numbered several thousands and killed many boyars and other people Ivan thought of as enemies. They also confiscated their property. The Oprichniki were ordered to wipe out «treason» in both Oprichnina and Zemschina. Ivan's cruelty lead to a number of rising. The Oprichnina was abolished in 1572.

Ivan IV died in 1584. Though known for his cruelty, he is also famous for Russia access to the Baltic and for beginning the struggle with boyars, who were hereditary landlords, for the power of dvoryane, service landlords. He is undoubtedly one of the most famous figures in Russian history.