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The republic of belarus

Zh.Ye.Prokhorova

The name “Byelorussia” first appeared in official manuscripts in the XVI century. There are different hypotheses as to the origin происхождения of the name. One of the hypotheses is that the name comes from the fact that in ancient times в древние времена “to be white” meant “to be free”. In the XIII century while East-Slavonic lands were under the Tatar-Mongol yoke, the North-West of Ancient Russ was free and that part was called Byelaya Russ at that time. It is also known that the people of this part of the land were dressed in while. Their clothes were made of flax из льна. They had fair hair and blue or grey eyes. Some historians explain the origin of the name from this fact. Which do you believe?

By the way, do you know that for many centuries Byelorussia had been called Litva Литва and Byelorussians – Litvins Литвины. And even the Byelorussian language in the XIX century was rather often called Lithuanian-Russian литовско-русский.

This was the case because, as you know, for almost five hundred years Byelorussia was part of the Great Principality of Lithuania and the Byelorussian language was the official language of this great state.

Слова и словосочетания к тексту «The Republic of Belarus»

to unite	[ju:nait]	объединять
to appear	[`pi]	появляться
to annex	[`neks]	присоединять
poverty	[`pvti]	бедность
backwardness	[`bækwdnis]	отсталость
forebear	[`f:bi]	предок
Duchy	[dti]	герцогство
to link		связывать
plain	[plein]	равнина
flax	[flæks]	лен
potash	[`ptæ]	калийные удобрения
border	[`b:d]	граница
population		население
to destroy		разрушать
enterprise		предприятие
to hold	[hould]	занимать (позицию)
to perish	[`peri]	погибать
rock-salt		каменная соль
coal	[`koul]	уголь
iron-ore		железная руда
to restore	[rist:]	восстанавливать
advanced		передовой
Stone Age		каменный век
a single state		единое государство
fraternal people		братские народы
were placed in bondage	[`bndid ]	были отданы в рабство
mineral deposits		залежи полезных ископаемых
nonferrous and rare metals	[`nn`fers,r]	цветные и редкие металлы
in the course of		в течение …
one in four		каждый четвертый
metal cutting lathes	[lei is]	металлорежущие станки
the main crops		основная сельскохозяй- ственная культура
is a founder member of the UNO		является одной из стран основателей Организации Объединенных Наций

Прочтите следующие слова и запомните их произношение.

Eastern	[`i:stn]	восточный
Slavic	[`slævik]	славянский
tribe	[traib]	племя, род
early	[`:li]	ранний
Ukrainian	[ju:`kreinin]	украинский
Lithuania	[liju:eini]	Литва
feudal	[`fu:dl]	феодальный
lord	[l:d]	лорд
bauxite	[`b:ksait]	боксит
region	[`ri:d n]	область

The Republic of Belarus

The territory of present-day Belarus was first populated in the early Stone Age by Eastern Slavic tribes, the forebears of the Belorussians – the krivichi, radimichi and dregovichi.

With the development of the class society the Eastern Slavic tribes began to unite into a single early-Russian nationality. There was need for a single state and such a state appeared at the beginning of the 9^th century. It was Kievan Rus – the home of three fraternal peoples – the Russians, the Ukrainians and the Belorussians.

In the 14^th century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania annexed Belarus and soon the Belorussian people were placed in bondage to the Polish feudal lords who exploited them cruelly.

In the 18^th century Belarus was annexed by Russia. Belarus was synonymous with poverty and backwardness. Belorussian people had no social and political rights.

The revolutionary movement in Belarus was closely linked with the revolutionary movement of the Russian proletariat.

On November 7, 1917 Soviet power was established in Belarus. Now the Republic of Belarus is situated of the western borders of the East-European plain. Belorussia is 207,6 thousand square kilometres in area. The population of Belarus is more that 10 million.

Belarus is rich in mineral deposits: potash and rock-salt, brown coal, iron-ore, bauxite, nonferrous and rare metals, etc.

There are 3,000 rivers and more than 11,000 lakes in Belarus. The largest rivers are the Dnieper, the Western Dvina, the Nieman and the Bug. The largest lake is Naroch.

During the Second World War in the course of two years of German occupation the Hitlerites destroyed more than 209 Belorussian cities and towns, 9,200 villages, over 10,000 industrial enterprises. One in four of the Republic’s population perished during the years of fascist occupation. All Soviet Republics helped Belarus to rebuild and restore what had been destroyed.

Now the Republic of Belarus has a highly-developed industry, agriculture, an advanced culture, science and technology. Industry holds the leading position in the republic’s economy. Agriculture specializes in milk and meat production, and the main crops are potatoes, flax and vegetables.

There are more that 30 higher educational establishments in the Republic.

The Republic of Belarus is divided into 6 regions: Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk, Mogilev.

The capital of the Republic is Minsk.

Belarus is a founder member of the United Nations Organization.