Agriculture of the crimea.
Vocabulary
| Available | доступный |
| Benefit | приносить пользу, приносить прибыль |
| Environment | окружающая среда |
| Exhaust | выхлопные газы |
| Fertilizer | удобрение |
| Fungi | грибок, плесень |
| Insect | насекомое |
| Junk | рухлядь, хлам, утиль |
| Litter | сор |
| marine life | жизнь в водной среде |
| Percentage | процентное содержание |
| Pesticide | пестицид |
| Pollution | загрязнение |
| Surroundings | среда, окружение |
| to break down | расщеплять |
| to cut down | сокращать |
| to damage | наносить ущерб, повреждать |
| to decade | гнить, разлагать |
| to discharge | выпускать, выбрасывать, выливать |
| to enforce | воплощать в жизнь |
| to lessen | уменьшать |
| to persuade | убеждать |
| to reduce | уменьшать, сокращать |
| to scatter | разбрасывать, рассыпать |
| Treatment | обращение |
| Vehicle | транспортное средство |
| Wastes | отбросы |
| Weed | сорняк |
Environmental pollution is a term that refers to all the ways by which people pollute their surroundings. People dirty the air with gases and smoke, poison the water with chemicals and other substances, and damage the soil with too many fertilizers and pesticides. People also pollute their surroundings in various other ways. For example, they ruin natural beauty by scattering junk and litter on the land and in the water. They operate machines and motor vehicles that fit the air with disturbing noise. Nearly everyone causes environmental pollution in some way.
Environmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing humanity today. Air, water and soil – all harmed by pollution – are necessary to the survival of all living things. Badly polluted air can cause illness, and even death. Polluted water kills fish and other marine life. Pollution of soil reduces the amount of land that is available for growing food. Soil pollution damages the thin layer of fertile soil that covers much of the earth’s land is essential for growing food. Natural processes took thousands of years to form the soil that supports crops. But, through poor treatment, people can destroy soil in a few years.
In nature, cycle similar to those that keep water clean work to keep soil fertile. Plant and animal wastes, including dead organisms, accumulate in the soil. Bacteria and fungi decay feed growing plants, and when the plants die the cycle begins again.
People use fertilizers and pesticides to grow more and better crops. Fertilizers add extra nutrients to the soil and increase the amounts of a crop that can be grown on an area of land. But the use of large amounts of fertilizer may decrease the ability of bacteria to decay wastes and produce nutrients naturally. Pesticides destroy weeds and insects that harm crops. But pesticides may also harm bacteria and other helpful organisms in the soil.
Everyone wants to reduce pollution. But the pollution problem is as complicated as it is serious. It is complicated because much pollution is caused by things that benefit people. For example, exhaust from automobiles causes a large percentage of all air pollution. But the automobile provides transportation for millions of people. Factories discharge much of the material that pollutes air and water, but factories provide jobs for people and produce goods that people want. Too much fertilizer or pesticide can ruin soil, bur fertilizers and pesticides are important aids to the growing of crops.
Thus, to end or greatly reduce pollution immediately people would have to stop using many things that benefit them. Most people do not want to do that, of course. But pollution can be gradually reduced in several ways. Scientists and engineers can work to find ways to lessen the amount of pollution that such things as automobiles and factories cause. Governments can pass and enforce laws that require business and individuals to stop, or cut down on certain polluting activities. And – perhaps most importantly – individuals and groups of people can work to persuade their representatives in government, and persuade business to take action toward reducing pollution.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) How do people pollute their surroundings?
2) Why is environmental pollution one of the serious problems today?
3) How can people destroy soil?
4) What are the ways for reducing pollution?
4. Retell the text.
AGRICULTURE OF THE CRIMEA.
Vocabulary
| agricultural lands | сельскохозяйственные угодия |
| catch of fish | добыча рыбы |
| essential oil cultures | эфиромасличные культуры |
| food complex | продовольственный |
| food supply | продовольствие |
| Horticulture | садоводство |
| internal reservoir | внутренний водоем |
| Landmark | ориентир |
| outflow of cash | отток денежных средств |
| perennial plantings | многолетние насаждения |
| ploughed field | пашня |
| Rape | рапс |
| raw materials base | сырьевая база |
| Sage | шалфей |
| Seeds | семечковые |
| state bulk purchase | государственные закупки |
| Stones | косточковые |
| sub branches | подотрасля |
| to work out | вырабатывать |
| Viniculture | виноделие |
| Viticulture | виноградарство |
The strategic landmark of the development of the agrarian sphere is a creation of strong raw materials base for development of food complex , capable to satisfy not only the needs of population and recreators in the main type of food supply, but also to increase the export potential of traditional Crimean branches: viticulture and viniculture, horticulture.
The total area of agricultural lands of autonomy forms more than 1800 ths.h.including ploughed field – 1262,2 ths.h., perennial plantings – 81,9 ths.h.
The main agricultural regions of the republic are Dzhankoysky, Pervomaysky, Krasnogvardejsky, Saksky, Kirovsky and Simferopolsky regions.
The climatic conditions of the Crimea allow to grow up on its territory the great part of agricultural cultures of the temperate zone and some subtropical cultures.
The horticulture in republic is presented by production of seeds (apples, pears) and stones (plums, peaches, apricots, sweet cherries). The climate of the region is favorable for cultivating essential oil cultures (the rose, lavender, sage), as well as raw materials for production bio fuel (the rape).
The Republic, being the major region of Ukraine in production of grape, is known exactly by its technical sorts, used for manufacturing of the high-quality vines, cognac and juice. About 120 ths. tones of grape are produced a year, and 14-16 mln.dcl. of vine materials are worked out. The export of viniculture products is carried out into 11 countries of the world.
Such sud branches as poultry farming, shep farming, pig raising and cattle breeding present the animal breeding.
The representative branch for autonomy is fishing, which is oriented to increase of catch of fish and other animals in Azov-Chernomorsk’s basin and internal reservoir.
At present the market of Autonomous Republic of Crimea is full of food products, produced outside the region. This leads to outflow of cash from republic. For stimulation of development of Crimean agricultural market is necessary to create the efficient owner, to grow up the feeling of the master on the land, to form land market, to undertake parity policy of the prices on industrial and agricultural products, intervention of the state bulk purchase product of the agrarian sector, to realize weighted financial-credit policy.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) What is the strategic landmark of the development of the agrarian sphere?
2) Is the total area of lands in the Crimea big enough to develop agriculture?
3) Why do the climatic conditions of the Crimea allow to grow up agricultural cultures?
4) What kind of grape sorts is the republic known?
5) Does the republic have any respective branches?
6) What must the government do for stimulation of development of Crimean agriculture?
4. Retell the text.
CATU
Vocabulary
| educational establishment | учебное заведение |
| Forestry | лесоводство |
| fruit-and-vegetable growing and viticulture | плодоовощеводство и виноградорство |
| Hunting | охотничье хозяйство |
| improvement of professional skill of heads and experts of agriculture | повышение квалификации руководителей и специалистов сельского хозяйства |
| land management and cadastre | землеустроительство и кадастр |
| preparation of experts | подготовка специалистов |
| technology of fats and fat substitute | технология жиров и жирозаменителей |
| technology of fermentive producing and winemaking | технология бродильного производства и виноделие |
| to carry out | Проводить |
| to organize scientific researches | организовывать научные исследования |
The history of the educational establishment begins with the Department of Agriculture at Tavrida University in 1918. It received the status of the higher educational institution as the Crimean Institute of Special Cultures in 1923.
In 1936 the Institute of Special Cultures was transformed into the Crimean Agricultural Institute. In 2004 our university was included into the structure of the National Agrarian University and was titled as the Southern Branch “Crimean Agrotechnological University” of the National Agrarian University.
For the years of its existence the educational establishment has prepared 50 thousand experts for agriculture and forestry, veterinary medicine. More than 500 of them are foreign citizens from Western Europe, Asia, Africa, South America. For this period more than 25 thousand agricultural experts from different structures and official categories have raised their qualification in the educational establishment.
The Southern Branch carries out the preparation of experts, improvement of professional skill of heads and experts of agriculture, organizes scientific researches and researching and designing projects.
The preparation of experts is accomplished on the following specialties: Agronomy, Fruit-and-vegetable growing and viticulture, Economics of enterprise, Finance, Account and audit, Management of organizations, Forestry; Landscape design; Hunting; Mechanization of agriculture; Veterinary Medicine; Land management and cadastre, Technology of fats and fat substitute, Technology of fermentive producing and winemaking.
The educational and scientific research complex of the Southern Branch “Crimean Agrotechnological University” of the National Agrarian University is situated in the settlement of Agrarne, Simferopol.
Educational process and scientific activity in the Branch are carried out by the highly qualified science-pedagogical staff of 300 people.
Future specialists are trained for 16 specialties at 8 departments.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) What do you know about the history of your university?
2) Foreign students can also study at your university, can’t they?
3) What are the main missions of your educational establishment?
4) What is the address of your university?
5) Name all specialties at the university.
4. Retell the text.
KIEV
Vocabulary
| Abundance | изобилие |
| Askold’s Grave | Аскольдова могила |
| Beach | пляж |
| Church of St. Andrey | церковь св. Андрея |
| Cradle | колыбель |
| Eternal fire | Вечный огонь |
| Picturesque | живописный |
| Research | научно-исследовательский |
| the Park of Immortal Glory | Парк Вечной Славы |
| to attract | привлекать |
| Tomb | могила |
| Unknown Soldier | Неизвестный солдат |
Kiev is the capital of Ukraine. It is one of the oldest cities of Europe and therefore there are many historical places in it. It was the capital of ancient Rus, cradle of three fraternal peoples – the Russian, the Ukrainian and the Buelorussian.
Nowadays it is a large political, industrial, scientific and cultural centre of Ukraine. Its population equals nearly 3 million people. It is the Supreme Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers.
Kiev is famous not only for its history (it was called “the Mother of All Rus’ Cities”), but f or it beauty, for the abundance of places of historic interest in it. It is situated on the picturesque banks of the Dnieper River.
Kiev’s monuments of the past attract a lot of visitors. They are impressed by Kiev-Pechersky Monastery which stands on a green hill above the Dnieper and its sparkling gold cuprous can be seen from outside the capital. The huge gateway from Volodymyrska Street opens on the territory of another ancient monument – St. Sophia’s Cathedral which is the state architectural and historical preserve. It was founded in 1037 during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. On the other corner of Volodymyrska Street you can see the Gold Gate. Shevchenko Memorial, Vydubetsky Monastery, Askold’s Grave and Church of St. Andrey are really worth sightseeing too. In the Park or Immortal Glory there is a Tomb of Unknown Soldier, over which an eternal fire burns.
There are a lot of museums in Kiev: the Historical Museum of Ukrainian Art, the Museum of Western and Oriental Art, Shevchenko Museum, Lesya Ukrainka Memorial Museum and others.
Kiev is the center of Ukrainian culture. Many resea rch institutes and higher education establishments are to be found here. It is famous for its theatres and concert halls such as Taras Shevchenko Opera and Ballet Theatre, Musical Comedy Theatre, Puppet Theatre, Conservatoire and Philharmonics, the Concert Hall “Ukraine”. The performance stranded at there theatres are always of great demand.
The picturesque green banks and hills, plentiful flowerbeds with millions of different flowers, wonderful beaches of Dnieper, Kreshchatik, one of the widest and most beautiful streets in our country – all this adds up to the beauty of Ukrainian capital.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) Why can we say that Kiev is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine?
2) What museums do you know in Kiev?
3) You know Kiev’s sightseeing, don’t you?
4) Which is the most impressive monastery in Kyiv?
5) What is Kiev famous for except its own history?
4. Retell the text.
CRIMEA
Vocabulary
| Alliance | Союз |
| Annexation | Присоединение |
| Barbarian | Варварский |
| Beech | Бук |
| Breakup | Распад |
| Brine | рапа, морская вода |
| Cemetery | Кладбище |
| Cropland | Зерновые |
| Deposit | Залежи |
| Designation | Характеристика |
| Destination | место назначения, направление |
| Devote | посвящать |
| Engage | вовлекать |
| Exploration | исследование |
| feather-grass | ковыль |
| Flourish | процветать, пышно расти |
| Gradually | постепенно |
| Harbor | гавань, порт |
| Hardship | трудности |
| Hospitable | гостеприимный |
| Implement | орудие, прибор |
| Invasion | вторжение |
| Limestone | известняк |
| Marble | мрамор |
| Meadow | луг |
| Moat | ров (с водой) |
| Narrow | узкий |
| Naval | морской |
| Peninsula | полуостров |
| Plain | плоский |
| Precisely | точно |
| Prosperity | процветание |
| Rampart | вал (крепостной) |
| Remains | остатки |
| Renowned | известный, знаменитый |
| Shield | щит |
| Soil | почва |
| Soldier | солдат |
| Spit | отмель, намывная коса |
| Spring | источник |
| Strip | полоса, лента |
| Surface | поверхность |
| to join | присоединиться |
| to link | связывать, соединять |
| to thrive | процветать |
| to undergo | испытывать |
| Turbulent | бурный, неспокойный |
| Vineyard | виноградник |
"There are corners on our earth so beautiful that each time you visit them they give you a sense of happiness". These words the renowned Russian writer Konstantin Paustovsky devoted to the Crimea are assented to by anybody who has been here but once.
Precisely when the peninsula got for the first time this name which is Turkish for "moat, rampart", the scholars argue about it to this very day. One thing is certain: it is not casual. On the comparatively small territory washed by the Black Sea and that of Azov there are plenty of rampart and moats overgrown with the hoary feather-grass and other remains of human hands creations as well - from the first stone implements to the medieval fortresses.
In ancient Greek myths, the Black Sea - then on the fringe of the Mediterranean world - was named Pontus Axeinus, meaning "Inhospitable Sea". Later explorations made the region more familiar, and, as colonies were established along the shores of a sea the Greeks, came to know as more hospitable and friendly, its name was changed to Pontus Euximus, the opposite of the earlier designation. The Turks, when they came to control the lands beyond the sea's southern shores, encountered only the sudden storms whipped up on its waters and reverted to a designation reflecting the inhospitable aspect of what they now termed the Karadeniz, or Black Sea.
The Crimean Peninsula, a popular vacation destination, is a large piece of land that juts south from Ukraine. Only the narrow Isthmus of Perekop links the peninsula to the mainland; Sivash lies between the mainland and peninsula and is separated from the Sea of Azov by a long sand spit, the Tonka of Arabat. The brines of Sivash are used to supply a chemical complex at Krasnoperekopsk on the Perekop Isthmus and Saki. The northern and central part of the Crimean Peninsula (some 75 percent of its total area) is a level plain of dry steppe with little surface water and is under intensive agriculture. Winter wheat, corn (maize) and sunflowers are the main crops. Additional water supplies are brought by canal from the Dnieper River at Kahovka. Most towns are engaged in processing farm produce, especially wine making. Heavier industry is concentrated in Kerch, a centre of large-scale iron-ore mining. Like the rest of Ukraine today, Crimea is undergoing serious economic hardships The narrow southern coastal plain has a warm climate and is a major health and holiday resort region.
Sevastopol, one of the best harbours in Ukraine, was long a Russian naval base. Simferopol is the city and administrative centre of Crimea. It lies along the Salgir River where it emerges from the Crimean mountains.
From low-lying coastal plains to the north, the peninsula rises gradually to the Crimean mountains on its southern coast. Mount Roman-Kosh, at 5,069 feet, is the Crimean Mountains' highest point. Dense forests of pine, oak and beech; grassy meadows dotted with wildflowers; flourishing vine- yards; and productive croplands all thrive in the peninsula's rich soil. In addition, the region has large deposits of limestone, marble and iron.
In antiquity it was known as the Tauric Chersonese, was settled by Greek colonists from the 6th century ВС onward, and Scythians occupied the interior. Later it came under the kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus, which eventually collapsed under the barbarian invasions. Long the home of the Crimean Tatars, with Bakhchisaray as their capital, the peninsula was annexed by Russia in 1783. Gregory Alexandrovich Potjomkin created the plans of annexation. After he became field marshal in 1784, he introduced many reforms into the army and built a fleet in the Black Sea,
Crimea has also had a bloody military history, with many Russian soldiers buried in its cemeteries. The Crimean War took place on the peninsula and in the Black Sea waters. From October 853 to February 1856, Russian troops fought against British, French, and Turkish forces, mainly over religious differences. Severe battles were fought at the Alma River, at Balaklava and at Inkennan. .
Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the British, French, and Turkish alliance controlled Crimea until Soviet troops took over the peninsula in 1921. Control changed hands again during World War II, with Germany occupation from 1941 to 1944. During the war, Yalta was the site of a historic conference of leaders of Allied forces - Prime Minister of Great Britain Churchill, President of the United States Franklin Roosevelt, and Josef Stalin of the Soviet Union.
Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Crimean Peninsula has been a part of Ukraine. With adoption of the Constitution the Crimea has obtained its flag, coat of arms and anthem. The Flag of the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea is a colour cloth consisting of three horizontal colour strips: blue, white, red. The coat of arms of the ARC resents a silver gryphon on the Varangian shield facing to the right and holding in its right paw an open silver shell with a blue pearl. The shield is crowned with the rising sun and circled by two white columns connected with a blue-white-and red band. On the band there is a motto: "Prosperity in Unity". The anthem of the ARC was composed by A.S.Karamanov,
Despite its turbulent history, Crimea is best known as a vacation spot. Its beauty, mild climate and mineral springs make it an ideal spot for the many resorts and health centers that lines its coasts.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) How was the Black Sea named in ancient Greek?
2) What are the brines of Sivash used?
3) What are the towns of the Crimea engaged in?
4) What is the highest point of the Crimean mountains?
5) Who annexed the peninsula in 1783?
6) What was the role of Yalta during the war?
7) Describe the flag of Crimea.
8) Describe the coat of arms.
9) Who composed the anthem of the Crimea?
10) Tell the story about any Crimean town you like most of all.
4. Retell the text.
SIMFEROPOL
Vocabulary
| Bank | берег ( реки ) |
| Boundary | граница, межа ( between ) |
| Collapse | крах, крушение, провал, развал |
| consumer goods industry | промышленность, выпускающая предметы потребления |
| Deport | депортировать, высылать, ссылать; выдворять ( from; to ) |
| Edifice | дом, здание, сооружение, строение |
| Exile | изгнание; ссылка; высылка из страны, депортация |
| food processing industry | пищевая промышленность |
| Hollow | впадина, углубление |
| Jew | еврей, иудей |
| Liberate | освобождать (от - from): выпускать на свободу, на волю; освобождать территорию ( от врагов ) |
| machine-tool | станок |
| Massacre | резня; бойня, избиение |
| multistorey building | многоэтажное здание |
| Outer | внешний |
| Remnant | остаток; остатки |
| Reserves | резервные части |
| Ridge | гребень горы; горный хребет; горная цепь; водораздел |
| Suburb | окраина, пригород |
| Vast | обширный, громадный |
| Vicinity | окрестности; округа: район |
Simferopol the administrative, industrial and cultural centre of the Crimean Region, is situated in a vast hollow between the Outer and Inner Ridges of the Crimean Mountains, on the banks of the Salghir River.
A famous archeological site known as Scythian Neapol, the remnants of an ancient capital of the Crimean Scythians, is located within the city’s boundaries.
Later the Crimean Tatar town of Aqmescit was located in the area of modern Simferopol.
Russians renamed the city Simferopol in 1784 after the conquest of Crimea by Catherine II of Russia. In Greek Sympheropolis means "the city of usefulness". In 1802 Simferopol became the administrative "center of the Taurida Governorate. During the Crimean War of 1854-1856 Russian army reserves and a hospital were located in the city. More than 30,000 Russian soldiers were buried in the vicinity of the city.
In the 20th century Simferopol once again was affected by wars in the region. At the end of the Russian Civil War, the headquarters of General Pyotr Wrangel, leader of the anti-Bolshevik White Army, were located there. On November 13, 1920 the Red Army captured the city and on October 18, 1921, Simferopol became the capital of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
During the World War II Simferopol was occupied by the German army between November 1, 1941 and April 13, 1944. Germans perpetrated one of the largest war-time massacres in Simferopol, killing in total over 22,000 locals mostly Russians, Jews, Krymchaks, and Gypsies. The Soviets liberated Simferopol in April, 1944. And on May 18 the Crimean Tatar population of the city with the whole Crimean Tatar nation was forcibly deported to Central Asia.
After the war, on April 26. 1954, Simferopol, together with the rest of Crimea, was
transferred from Russia to the Ukrainian SSR by Nikita Khrushchev
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Simferopol became the capital city of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within independent Ukraine. Today it has a population of 363,600 (as of 2004). Modern Simferopol has retained its nucleus with historically valuable buildings. Interesting public edifices constructed according to individual design are now being built in the centre. Large housing estates with multistorey buildings have sprung around it during the last decades. After Crimean Tatars returned from the exile in 1990s several new Crimean Tatar suburbs were erected.
The city has a railway station, serving millions of summer tourists each year, and the Simferopol Airport. The world's longest trolley bus line connects Simferopol to Yalta on Crimea's Black Sea coast.
Simferopol has a wider range of food-processing industries and makes wine, tobacco and cigarettes. There are also light engineering and consumer goods industries, producing machine-tools, television sets, clothing and footwear in Simferopol.
There are teacher-training, medical and agricultural institutes and several research establishments in Simferopol.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1.Where is Simferopol situated?
2.What does the city mean in Greek?
3.When did Simferopol become an administrative center of the Taurida Governorate?
4.What is the population of the city?
5.Find some unknown facts about Simferopol and tell your story.
4. Retell the text.
GREAT BRITAIN
Vocabulary
| Aircraft | самолет, воздушное судно |
| Ancient | древний, старинный |
| Annual | ежегодный, годовой, годичный |
| Birthplace | место рождения |
| Chamber | палата |
| conquer | завоевывать |
| Consider | считать, рассматривать |
| Descendant | отпрыск, потомок |
| English Channel | пролив Ла-Манш |
| Exceptionally | исключительно |
| fishing ground | район промысла рыбы |
| Foreigner | иностранец |
| House of Commons | палата Общин |
| House of Lords | палата Лордов |
| Invasion | вторжение |
| Origin | происхождение |
| Playwright | драматург |
| to be washed | омываться |
| to defeat | одержать победу (над кем-л.) , наносить поражение (кому-л.) , завоёвывать (что-л.) |
| to elect | избирать |
| to found | основывать, учреждать |
| to land | высаживаться |
| to separate | отделять |
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) occupies most of the territory of the British Isles. It consists of four main parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. London is the capital of England, Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, Cardiff — of Wales and Belfast — of Northern Ireland. The UK is a country with an area of some 244,100 square kilometres. It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the north-west, north and south-west and separated from Europe by the North Sea in the east and by the English Channel in the south.
In the west the Irish Sea and the North Channel separate the UK from Ireland. The seas around Britain provide exceptionally good fishing grounds.
The highest mountain is Ben Nevis in Scotland, 4,406 feet high. The longest river is the Severn in England, about 200 miles long.
The population of the United Kingdom is over 57 million people. Foreigners often call British people "English" but the Scots, the Irish and the Welsh do not consider themselves to be English. The English are Anglo-Saxon in origin, but the Welsh, the Scots and the Irish are Celts, descendants of the ancient people, who crossed over from Europe centuries before the Norman Invasion. It was this people, whom the Germanic Angles and Saxons conquered in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. These Germanic conquerors gave England its name — "Angle" land. They were conquered in their turn by the Norman French, when William the Conqueror of Normandy landed near Hastings in 1066. It was from the union of Norman conquerors and the defeated Anglo-Saxons that the English people and the English language were born.
The official language of the United Kingdom is English. But in western Scotland some people still speak Gaelic and in northern and central parts of, Wales people often speak Welsh.
The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft, and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy. In law, Head of the State is Queen. In practice, the country is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal parties.
The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses.
Great Britain is rich in world-famous places. Certainly among them there are famous university cities Oxford and Cambridge, Shakespeare's birthplace — Stratford-upon-Avon, towns of Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow.
Stratford-upon-Avon is a small town. Its chief points of interest are associated with Shakespeare, the greatest English poet and playwright was born. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre was opened in Stratford in 1932. Only Shakespeare's plays are performed here.
Those who come to Oxford certainly are interested in its university most of all. It was founded in the 12th century.
Wales is sometimes called "the land of song". One of the Welsh traditions is festivals.
There is a prehistoric monument in Great Britain which is as interesting to the tourists as the Egyptian pyramids. This is Stonehenge. Stonehenge was built in order to calculate the annual calendar and seasons.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) How many parts does the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consist of?
2) What is the official language of the United Kingdom?
3) Which seas is the UK washed by?
4) Describe the main sights of the United Kingdom.
5) How is the flag of the United Kingdom called?
4. Retell the text.
LONDON
Vocabulary
| Among | среди |
| Fortress | крепость |
| Monument | памятник |
| Population | население |
| Prison | тюрьма |
| Royal | королевский |
| to attract | привлекать |
| to bury | хоронить, предавать земле |
| to divide | делить |
| Tower | башня |
London is a very old town. It is about two thousand years old.
Now London is one of the biggest cities in the world. Its population is about 8 million people. It's not only a capital of Great Britain, it's a large business and commercial centre. London stands on the Thames.
As an ancient city London has a great number of places of historic interest. They attract tourists from all the world.
London is traditionally divided into four main parts. They are Westminster, the City, the West End and the East End.
Westminster is the historical area in London. Famous monuments and buildings are there. One of the most beautiful places is Westminster Abbey. Many greatest poets and writers are buried there. Chauser, Dickens, Kipling are among them. Newton and Darwin are buried there too.
Another place which is worth seeing in London is the Tower. In different times this castle was a fortress, a royal palace, a prison. Now it is a museum.
London is rich in famous palaces. Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen. Westminster Palace is the seat of the British Parliament. The greatest of English churches is St. Paul's Cathedral. It was built by a famous English architect, Sir Christopher Wren. Trafalgar Square is considered to be the very centre of London. In the middle of it stands the monument to admiral Nelson.
London is famous for its streets and squares as well. Fleet Street is known for the newspaper offices situated there. Regent Street is famous for the richest shops and supermarkets.
Speaking about London it is impossible to say nothing about its museums. The British Museum shows works of art from ancient Asia, Egypt, Rome and Greece side by side with those of Great Britain and other countries.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) How old is London?
2) Where does London stand on?
3) What is the population of London?
4) List the famous palaces of London.
5) What is Fleet Street known for?
6) What can you tell about London’s museums?
4. Retell the text.
UKRAINE
Vocabulary
| a number | ряд, множество |
| Animal Husbandry | животноводство |
| Anthem | гимн |
| Assure | обеспечивать, гарантировать, уверять |
| Banner | знамя |
| Barley | ячмень |
| Cereals | зерновые, злаки |
| Consumer | потребитель |
| Crop | сельхоз культура |
| Diamond | алмаз |
| due to | благодаря |
| Executive | исполнительный |
| Fertile | плодородный |
| Grain | зерно, зерновой |
| Legumes | бобовые |
| Maize | кукуруза |
| Meadow | луг |
| Navigable | судоходный |
| Oats | овес |
| Obligations | обязанности |
| Oil | нефть |
| Ore | руда |
| Raising | выращивание |
| Rye | рожь |
| Scientific | научный |
| Soil | почва |
| Term | срок |
| the highest body | верховный орган |
| to adopt | принимать |
| to border on | граничить с |
| to elect | избирать |
| to establish | основывать, учреждать |
| up-to-date | современный |
| Variety | многообразие, разнообразие |
| Widespread | распространенный |
Ukraine is situated in the eastern part of Europe. It borders on Russia in the east, Belorussia in the north, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova in the west. Ukraine is washed by the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea in the south.
The area of Ukraine is more than 603,000 sq km. There are the Crimean Mountains in the south and the Carpathians in the west.
The territory of our country has a variety of landscapes as it lies in three main zones: mixed forests, forest-steppes and steppes.
The nature of Ukraine is especially beautiful due to a number of rivers and lakes. There are 131 rivers in Ukraine. The longest rivers are the Dniester, the Donets, the Bug. The Dnieper is the main river in Ukraine. The rivers of Ukraine are navigable.
There are more than three hundred cities and towns in Ukraine. The biggest of them are the industrial centres such as Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Lviv. Odessa, Mikolayiv, Kherson, Kerch are the most important ports of Ukraine.
The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv. It is an administrative, industrial, scientific and cultural centre.
Ukraine is rich in mineral resources: coal, oil, gas, different ores. Ukraine is a developed industrial country. It has metallurgical and heavy industries, machine building and ship building industries. Ukraine produces up-to-date instruments, electronic microscopes, synthetic diamonds as well as consumer goods.
Ukraine is an agricultural country because its soil is fertile. Its climate is good for cultivating different agricultural plants.
All the principle areas of plant cultivation are: grain and industrial crops, meadow cultures, fruit and vegetable raising. Almost half the cropping area is occupied by cereals such as winter wheat, maize and legumes, rye, oats and barley.
Animal Husbandry is the second largest component of agriculture. The most widespread branch is cattle breeding.
The Constitution of Ukraine
On June 28, 1996, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Fundamental Law of Ukraine, its Constitution.
The Constitution establishes the country's political system, assures rights, freedoms and duties of citizens and is the basis for its law.
According to the Constitution Ukraine is a sovereign and independent, democratic, social, legal state. Ukraine is a republic. The state language is Ukrainian. The state symbols of Ukraine are the State Flag, the State Emblem and the State Anthem of Ukraine. The State Flag is a blue and yellow banner. The trident is the State Emblem.
The Constitution outlines the activities of the Verkhovna Rada. Its main function is making laws. The people's deputies are elected to the Verkhovna Rada for a term of four years.
The Constitution specifies the power and obligations of the President, who is the head of the State. He is elected for a term of five years. He can't be elected for more than two full terms.
The highest body of the executive power is the Cabinet of Ministers. It carries out the domestic and foreign policy of the State.
Ukraine has an ancient history. There are many places worth sightseeing on its territory.
1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart
2. Read the text, translate it into Russian
3. Answer the questions.
1) Where is Ukraine situated?
2) Which countries does it boarder on?
3) How large is Ukraine’s area?
4) How many cities are there in Ukraine?
5) Which are the principle areas of plant cultivation?
6) Which mineral resources is Ukraine rich in?
7) Describe the administrative structure of Ukraine.
4. Retell the text.