Ukrainian-Canadian Cooking

Ukrainian settlers from Galicia and Bukovyna arrived in Canada in the late 1890's. Many of the ingredients they had been used to cooking with (such as wheat, flour, barley, rye, cabbage, and root vegetables) could be grown in their new land, but others could not. Although the parklands of the Prairie Provinces were fertile, they were also much further north and higher in altitude than the settlers' old homeland, and the growing season was consequently much shorter.

The settlers adapted to local conditions, substituting available ingredients for those not obtainable. Dried fruit such as prunes and raisins were used instead of fresh; short-season vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers were incorporated into recipes. Meat such as tur­key, goose, duck, and local species of fish were originally used in substitution for pork, as there were initially few pork producers; later on, the immense amount of beef available on the Western Canadian (and especially the Alberta) market and its correspondingly low price meant that Ukrainian cooks were more likely to cook with beef than with pork or, especially, lamb.

These changes are evidenced in the Ukrainian-Canadian cuisine. Cabbage rolls or holubtsi may be made from parboiled or from pickled cabbage leaves, but the most common filling is a mixture of ground beef and rice, with pork a less common substitute. The rolls are often cooked in a tomato sauce which may be flavoured with peppers. Desserts are less likely to be made primarily from ground nuts, and may instead be made from plain flour. Ukrainian sausage (known as 'kovbasa') is heavily seasoned with garlic and Hungarian paprika and is used both in home cooking, restaurant cooking, and even fast food.

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► II. Writing

You invited your English friend to spend the Christmas holidays with you in Ukraine. Write an email of 50-60 words including the following points:

· weather in December and January;

· types of clothes your friend should bring;

· Ukrainian Christmas traditions.

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► III. Speaking

You are going to participate in the conference devoted to the mass media. Express your point of view on the following questions.

· What is the role of the mass media in modern society?

· What is your reaction to the information you read / listen to?

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Examination Card #5

► I. Reading

Read the text. Write a short summary of it (5-6 sentences). Use your own words to express the main idea of the text.

Transport

Most journeys in Britain and the US are made by road. Some of these are made on public transport (AmE public transportation) but most are by private cars.

In Britain many people rely on their car for daily local activities, e.g. getting to work, do­ing the shopping, and visiting friends. People living in urban areas may use buses, trains or, in London, the Underground, to get to city centres, mainly because traffic is often heavy and it is difficult to find anywhere to park a car. Some places in the country may have a bus only twice or three times a week so people living there have no choice but to rely on their cars.

In the US large cities have good public transportation systems. The El railroad in Chi­cago and the underground systems of New York, Boston, San Francisco and Washington, DC are heavily used. Elsewhere, most Americans prefer to use their cars. Families often have two cars and, outside major cities, have to drive fairly long distances to schools, of­fices, shops, banks, etc. Many college and even high school students have their own cars.

Long-distance travel in Britain is also mainly by road, though railways link most towns and cities. Most places are linked by motorways or other fast roads and many people prefer to drive at their own convenience rather than use a train, even though they may get stuck in a traffic jam. Long-distance coach/bus services are usually a cheaper alternative to trains, but they take longer and may be less comfortable. Some long-distance travel especially that undertaken for business reasons may be by air. There are regular flights between regional airports, as well as to and from London. A lot of freight is also distributed by road, though heavier items and raw materials often go by rail.

In the US much long-distance travel is by air.

Taken from OXFORD Guide to British and American Culture

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► II. Writing

You havejust returned from a school trip, which you enjoyed a lot. You are plan­ning to invite your English friend to Ukraine and now you have decided to take him/her to the same trip. Write a letter of about 50-60 words to your friend including the following information:

· the place you've visited;

· what the weather was like;

· invite your friend to Ukraine.

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► III. Speaking