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Nauryz, celebrating the coming of spring and abundance
Nauryz is one of the oldest holidays on Earth. This holiday of spring and the renewed life of the Earth has been celebrated for over five thousand years by many cultures of the Middle and Central Asia and, according to some sources, by eastern Slavs as well. Historical records referring to this holiday can be found in ancient and middle age documents. In the oriental chronology, it corresponds to Navruz, the Iranian New Year. Kazakhs, Uzbeks and Uighurs passed the Nauryz traditions from generation to generation.
The Kazakhs attached special importance to the number of seven during the Nauryz celebrations because it symbolized the seven days of the week, which was considered to be a time unit of the universal eternity. Seven bowls with the Nauryz-kozhe drink (made from seven sorts of seven types of herbs) would be put in front of the aksakals (respectable old people). The meals were composed of seven components, usually meat, salt, fat, onions, wheat, kurt (a type of cheese) and irimshik (a kind of cottage cheese).
The celebration always included mass games, traditional horse races and other competitions. The most famous and favorite were the games of "Aikysh-uishysh" (towards each other) and "Audaryspek" where dzhigits (skillful horsemen) had to pull each other down from their saddles. Sport competitions were popular and both boys and girls could take part in them. A girl would invite a dzhigit to have a go and compete with her on one condition: if he wins, he would have the right to marry her, and if she wins he would have to obey her and execute her every desire. Nowadays, it has become a truly national holiday of spring, work and unity. It is dear to all the peoples living in the multinational Kazakhstan. The ancient holiday of Nauryz has naturally become a part of the modern life, preserving the old traditions.
Task 2. Write suitable heading to each passage. (Time for preparation -2 min. Time for answer -1min.)
WRITING (10 min.)
Task 1
Write an essay on one of your country holiday that is close in idea or celebration way to
Russian/English/American one. (100 words) (Time for preparation -8 min. Time for answer -2 min.)
Card # 28
LISTENING (10 min.)
Task 1. Listen to the text. Check the responds to the speakers’ statements and give T(true) and F (False) answers. (Time for listening 4 min., time for preparation-5 min., time for answering- 1 min).
| TRUE | FALSE | |
| 1. Last year 47.4 million overseas visitors came and they came from all over the world. | ||
| 2. Americans top the list of nationalities who visit England. | ||
| 3. After the list top of nationalities come Russians. | ||
| 4. England has much, much more to offer. It has great diversity. | ||
| 5. York, dating back to before Roman times is a walled city, tiny, cobbled streets, a delight really. |
Task 2. Give a short content of what you have listened to. (Time for preparation - 2 min. Time for answer - 2 min.)
SPEAKING (10 min.)
Task 1.Speak on the quotations (Time for preparation -3min. Time for answer -1min.):
Competition is the soul of sport. Competition is energy. Compete with yourself; revel in your health.