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UNIT 5. VISITING COUNTRIES AND CITIES
Text 1
RUSSIA
I live in Russia, was born here and I am the citizen of this country. I love it very much and I wouldn’t change it for any other place.
Russia is an enigma for the major part of the-world. Everybody knows that it is a vast, spacious country. It occupies the territory of 17,075.4 thousand square km. The population of Russia is more than 200 mln people. Except Russians, people of more than 100 nationalities live in this country. All the foreigners know about Siberia, they heard about its severe climate and they are afraid of Russian frosts very much.
Russia is situated both in Europe and Asia. Russia has always attracted attention of the leading countries of the world. First of all because of its historical roots which are closely connected with the names of Peter the First, Ekaterina the Second, and new ones such as Lenin, Stalin, etc. Then, as everybody knows, Russia occupies almost one sixth of the earth.
In the East Russia is washed by the Pacific Ocean with its seas: the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea. In the North Russia is washed by the Arctic Ocean with its seas which are the Barents Sea, the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. In the South the country has the exit to the Black Sea and some Russian cities, such as Kerch, Sochi are situated on the Black Sea coast. Russia borders on Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Belarus in the West. It borders on Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China in the South.
The major part of the country has a modified continental climate. Russia is rich in mineral and natural resources, such as gold, oil, natural gas, iron, diamonds, coal, etc. Russia is rich in water resources too. There are many rivers, such as the Volga, the Lena, the Yenisey, and many unique lakes, for example the Baikal which has the world’s cleanest water.
That is why Russia occupies a very important place in the world history, economy, culture.
The capital of Russia is, Moscow. The largest cities of Russia are Saint-Petersburg, Kazan, Rostov, Novosybirsk, Krasnodar and others.
I’d like to say a few words about Russian character or Russian soul. The Russians are very kind and hospitable people.
The idea of a freedom-loving nature of the Russians can be proved by the course of Russian history. Russian people had to defend themselves from different enemies:
they, won a victory over Napoleon (1812), saved the world from fascism (1945). That is why the Russians have strong will and they like freedom very much.
As you see Russia gave the world many talented people. The world literature is unimaginable without Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Tyutchev. The first engine was invented by Kulibin. The first astronaut was Gagarin.
Now Russia has a lot of problems, such as welfare state, health care, the need to prepare for a growing population of pensioners, education reform. Russia remains a country of which the world knows desperately little.
And we do believe Russia will become one of the greatest powers. It will take time. But I think that enigmatic Russian character and Russian soul will be able to cope with the difficulties.
Enigma – загадка; vast– обширный; severe – суровый; root– корень; to be closely connected with – быть тесно связанным с; one sixth – одна шестая; plain – равнина; modified – выраженный; continental – континентальный; to border on – граничить; resources – ресурсы; to be rich in – быть богатым чем-либо; iron – железная руда; unique – уникальный; character – характер; soul – душа; hospitable – гостеприимный; to defend – защищать; enemy – враг; to save –спасать; strong will – сильная воля; freedom– свобода; unimaginable- невообразимый; engine – двигатель, мотор; to invent– изобретать; welfare – благосостояние;health care – здравоохранение; to remain – оставаться; desperately – безнадежно; power– держава; to cope with – справляться с.
УПРАЖНЕНИЯ
I. Ответьте на вопросы.
1. What is the population of Russia?
2. What is its territory?
3. What is the geographical position of Russia?
4. What is the climate of the country?
5. What mineral and natural resources is Russia rich in?
6. What enemies did Russian people have to defend themselves many times from?
7. Russia gave the world many talented people, didn’t it?
8. Which of the Russians are world famous?
9. What problems does Russia face now?
10. Does Russia still remain a country of which the world knows desperately little?
11. What will take time for Russia?
Переведите следующие словосочетания на русский язык.
To be born here, to be a citizen of this country, the major part, to occupy the territory, they call themselves the Russians, to be afraid of Russian frosts, to attract attention, the leading countries, the historical roots, to be closely connected with, a modified continental climate, mineral and natural resources, to be rich in, Russian character, Russian soul, hospitable people, to save the world, to have a strong will, to like freedom, an astronaut, welfare state, a growing population of pensioners, re-training, to attempt to modernize, to establish a programme, ancient time, one of the greatest powers, to take time, to cope with the difficulties.
Переведите следующие словосочетания на английский язык.
Проблемы здравоохранения, выраженный континентальный климат, много талантливых людей, загадочный русский характер, загадочная русская душа, одна шестая суши, называть себя русскими, граничить с многими странами, минеральные и природные ресурсы, самая чистая вода в мире, это может быть доказано различными способами, реформа образования, прежде всего, бояться русских морозов.
IV. Задайте 4 типа вопросов к каждому предложению.
Russia has always attracted attention of the leading countries of the world-because of its historical roots.
a) yes/no;
b) what, why;
c) or;
d) hasn’t it.
The course of Russian history defines Russian character and Russian soul.
a) what;
b) or;
c) does; .
d) doesn’t it.
I think that “enigmatic Russians” will be able to cope with the difficulties.
a) who, what;
b) won’t they;
c) or;
d) will.
V. Предлоги потерялись, восстановите предложения.
1. I wouldn’t change my country … any other one.
2. Russia is an enigma … the major part … the world.
3. All foreigners are afraid … Russian frosts.
4. The major part of Russia lies … the East-European plain.
5. Russia is rich … mineral and natural resources.
7. I can prove it …. the course … Russian history.
8. The Russians won a victory … Napoleon, saved the world … fascism. .
9. The world literature is unimaginable … Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Tyutchev.
10. The first engine was invented … Kulibin.
11. Now Russia has a lot … problems … welfare state, … health care, … the need to prepare … a growing population … pensioners.
DISCUSSION CLUB
1. Prove the enigmatic character of Russian soul.
2. Prove that Russia gave the world many talented people.
Prove that Russia has always attracted attention of other countries of the world.
Text 2
MOSCOW
I remember my first visit to Moscow. The next day after we came we went to the Kremlin, the centre of Moscow. My aunt whose home town was Moscow explained to me that the oldest archeological finds on the Kremlin grounds date back to the second, millennium B.C. Moscow was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1147. Its heart was the Kremlin which means "a fortress" or "a citadel" in Russian. The Kremlin stood on a hill, protected by the Moskva River, the Neglinka River, and a moat. The original walls and towers of the Kremlin were made of oak, later on they were replaced by the walls of white stone, and Moscow began to be called the White-Stoned city.
The Spasskaya Tower on Red Square has a gate through which cars drive into the Kremlin.
This tower carries the clock - the Kremlin Chimes with four metre clockfaces. Red Square looked even more beautiful by day than by night and was very busy. There were dozens of coaches with tourists, and many foreigners and the Russians on the square. Everyone found it interesting.
I was given 15 minutes to take pictures, but the weather was not good for taking photographs. However, I had a chance to enjoy the view of St. Basil's Cathedral which is, perhaps, the most Russian of all outstanding monuments of architecture.lt was built in 1555-156O by the architects Barma and Postnik to commemorate the victories that the troops of .Ivan IV (the Terrible) had won in the battles against the Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan.
From St. Basil's. Cathedral my aunt and me crossed the Moskvoretsky Bridge to the other bank of the Moskva River to enjoy the magnificent view of the palaces and cathedrals forming an ensemble of gold and silver domes crowned with imposing crosses.
In the past Moscow was built up in rings around the Kremlin from which roads radiated out. The Bulvarnoye Ring and Sadovoye Ring have survived from days of old.
In Moscow there is a great number of parks and gardens, and a forest park belt around Moscow is carefully protected.
The Moskva River flows in big loops across the huge city. It is so clean that a lot of fish is caught in it and bathing in it is no risk to health.
We continued our tour along the bank of the Moskva River. We passed imposing palaces, old mansions and beautiful gardens. It was Saturday and we saw many newly-wed couples. The wedding cars were decked, with ribbons and balloons of different colours.
That day we went to the Central Exhibition Hall and Kalinin Prospekt with its beautiful buildings. I saw the Bolshoi Theatre that is more than 200 years old...
It was a long tour and there was something special about it. Since then I like Moscow, the heart of Russia.
archeological find - археологическая находка; millennium B.C. — тысячелетие до н.э.; fortress— крепость; citadel — цитадель; to protect - защищать; moat- ров; oat— дуб;to replace - заменять; stone - камень; tower - башня; gate -ворота; the Kremlin Chimes - Кремлевские куранты; clockface - циферблат; dozen - дюжина; Khanate - ханство; cathedral - собор; to commemorate - служить напоминанием; troops — войска; battle — битва; to cross — пересечь; bridge - мост; bank- берег; magnificent view - великолепный вид; ensemble- ансамбль; dome - купол; imposing - внушительный; cross - крест; ring — кольцо; to radiate out - расходиться; to survive - сохраниться; to flow - течь; loop - петля; mansion - большой особняк; ribbon -лента; balloon - воздушный шар; special - особенный
Word List and Word Combinations on the Subject "Visiting Countries and Cities"