Climate and weather in great Britain

The climate in Great Britain is mild and temperate due to the influence of the Gulf Stream.

The British often say: "Other countries have a climate; in England we have weather." The weather in Britain is very changeable. A fine morning can change into a wet afternoon and evening. And a nasty morning can change to a fine afternoon. That's why it is natural for the British to use the comparison "as changeable as the weather" of a person who often changes his mood or opinion about something.

The British also say that they have three variants of weather: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the afternoon or when it rains all day long.

The weather is the favourite conversational topic in England. When two Englishmen meet, their first words will be "How do you do?" or "How are you?" And after the reply "Very well, thank you; how are you?" the next remark is almost certain to be about the weather. When they go abroad the

British often surprise people of other nationalities by this tendency to talk about the weather, a topic of conversation that other people do not find so interesting.

The best time of the year in Britain is spring (of course, it rains in spring too).

The two worst months in Britain are January and February. They are cold, damp and unpleasant. The best place in the world then is at home by the big fire.

Summer months are rather cold and there can be a lot of rainy days. So most people who look forward to summer holidays, plan to go abroad for the summer — to France, Spain or some other place on the Continent.

The most unpleasant aspect of British weather is fog and smog. This is extremely bad in big cities and especially in London.

The fog spreads everywhere, it is in the streets and it creeps into the houses. Cars move along slowly, but still street accidents are frequent in the fog. People cannot see each other. They creep along the houses touching them with their hands not to lose their way or not to be run over by a car.

 

Names

Gulf Stream ['длК strhm] Гольфстрим the Continent ['kontinant] континент (так англичане

называют Европу)

 

Vocabulary

climate ['klaimit] климат

mild [maild] мягкий

temperate ['temprit] умеренный

due to ['dju: tu:] благодаря, вследствие

influence [Influans] влияние

changeable ['tjeind3abl] изменчивый,

неустойчивый

nasty ['na:sti] мерзкий, противный

comparison [kam'paerisn] сравнение

mood [mu:d] настроение

opinion [a'pinjan] мнение

remark [ri'ma:k] замечание

to go abroad [a'bro:d] поехать за границу

nationality [jiaeja'naeliti] национальность

tendency ['tendansi] тенденция

damp влажный, сырой

fire [faia] камин

to look forward ['fo:wad] to с нетерпением ждать

aspect ['aespekt] аспект, сторона

fog туман

smog (smoke + fog) смог

extremely [iks'titmli] чрезвычайно

to spread [spred] (spread) распространять(ся),

расстилать(ся)

to creep (crept) ползти, красться

accident ['asksidant] несчастный случай

frequent [fitkwent] частый

to lose way заблудиться

to be run over by a car попасть под машину

 

Questions

1. Why is the climate in Britain mild?

2. The weather in Britain is very changeable, isn't it?

3. What comparison do the British use when they want to describe a person whose mood and opinion changes very often?

4. How often does it rain in Britain?

5. The weather is the favourite conversational topic in England, isn't it? Do you find this topic of conversation interesting?

6. What is the best time of the year in Britain?

7. When do the British prefer to stay at home by the big fire?

8. How do the British spend their short British summer?

9. What do you know about London fogs?

10. What kind of weather do you like best of all?

11. Where do you get the weather forecast (['fo:ka:st] прогноз погоды) from? Do you always believe it?

12. Which do you like better: when it's cold or hot?

13. What is the weather like today?

14. Do you know the weather forecast for tomorrow?

15. What is the weather like in Russia in winter (summer, autumn, spring)?

 

 

LONDON

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial centre. It's one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its population is about 8 million.

London is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world.

Traditionally it's divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other and seem to belong to different towns and epochs.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre.

Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. There are some famous ancient buildings within the City. Perhaps the most striking of them is St Paul's Cathedral, the greatest of British churches. It was built in the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren. The Tower of London was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it's a museum.

Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London.

Westminster Abbey has more historic associations than any other building in Britain. Nearly all English kings and queens have been crowned here. Many outstanding statesmen, scientists, writers, poets and painters are buried here: Newton, Darwin, Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling.

Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament is famous for its big hour bell, known as "Big Ben".

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It's the symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs, and theatres are situated there. There are splendid houses and lovely gardens belonging to wealthy people.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It was named in memory of Admiral Nelson's victory in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelson's Column stands in the middle of the square.

On the north side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Not far away is the British Museum - - the biggest museum in London. It contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures, etc, and is famous for its library.

The East End was once the poorest district of London — with lots of factories and docks, narrow streets and unimpressive buildings. Today, the district is changing very fast. There are huge offices and new blocks of flats in the East End.

 

Names

the Bank of England Английский банк

the Stock Exchange ['stok iks^Jeindj] Лондонская

фондовая биржа

the Old Bailey [,auld 'belli] Центральный уголовный

суд, находящийся в Олд-Бейли

St Paul's Cathedral [sant,po:fc ka'0i:dral] собор

св. Павла (главный собор англиканской церкви)

Sir Christopher Wren [sa:,kristafa теп] Кристофер

Рен

the Tower f'taua] of London Лондонский Тауэр

Julius Caesar [.djuMias 'si:za] Юлий Цезарь

William the Conqueror j^wiljam da 'kot)kara]

Вильгельм Завоеватель, Вильгельм I

(первый король из норманнов в Англии)

Westminster Abbey [,westminstar 'aebi]

Вестминстерское аббатство

Newton ['nju:tn] Ньютон

Darwin ['da:win] Дарвин

Chaucer ['t|o:sa] Чосер

Dickens ['dikinz] Диккенс

Tennyson ['tenisn] Теннисон

Kipling ['kiplirj] Киплинг

Westminster Palace [,westminsta 'paelis] (the Houses

of Parliament) Вестминстерский дворец (здание

английского парламента)

Big Ben "Биг Бен", "Большой Бен" (колокол

часов-курантов на здании парламента, бой

которых передается ежедневно породив как

сигнал точного времени)

Buckingham Palace [.bAkigam -paelis] Букингемский

дворец (главная королевская резиденция в

Лондоне)

Trafalgar Square [tra,faelga 'skwea] Трафальгарская

площадь

Nelson's Column [,nelsnz 'kolam] колонна Нельсона

(памятник адмиралу Нельсону)

the National Gallery [,naejanl 'gselari] Национальная

галерея (крупнейшее в Великобритании собрание

картин)

the National Portrait [ po:trit] Gallery

Национальная портретная галерея

the British Museum Британский музей (один из

крупнейших в мире)

 

Vocabulary

commercial [ka'rra:Jal] торговый

population население

to belong [bi'loo] принадлежать

epoch f'i:pok] эпоха

financial [fai'nsenjal] финансовый

numerous ['nju:maras] многочисленный

firm фирма

ancient ['einjant] древний

striking f'straikio] поразительный, замечательный

church [t}3:tj] церковь

to found [faund] основывать

to rebuild [,ri:'bild] перестраивать

fortress ['fb:tris] крепость

royal ['roial] королевский

palace ['paelis] дворец

prison ['prizn] тюрьма

governmental [,g/vvn'mentl] правительственный

association [a,sausi'ei/n] ассоциация

to crown [kraun] короновать

outstanding [auf staendirj] выдающийся

statesman ['steitsman] государственный деятель

scientist f'saiantist] ученый

painter ['peinta] художник

to bury ['ben] хоронить

tower ['taua] башня

official residence [a,fijal 'rezidans] официальная

резиденция

wealth [weie] богатство

wealthy [\ге!9!] богатый

symbol ['simbal] символ

luxury ['lAkJari] роскошь

restaurant ['restraint] ресторан

splendid ['splendid] великолепный

in memory of в память о

column f'kolam] колонна

to contain [kan'tein] содержать

priceless ['praislis] бесценный

manuscript ['msenjuskript] рукопись

coin монета

sculpture ['skAlptJa] скульптура

to be famous for быть знаменитым..., славиться

dock док

narrow ['naerau] узкий

unimpressive [yyiim'presiv] невпечатляющий,

невыразительный

huge [hju:d3] огромный

 

Questions

1. Is London the largest city in the world?

2. What's the population of London?

3. Traditionally London is divided into several parts. Can you name them?

4. What do you know about the City?

5. Who was St Paul's Cathedral built by?

6. Who founded the Tower of London? When was it rebuilt?

7. What is Westminster Abbey famous for?

8. Where does the British Parliament sit?

9. What is Big Ben?

10. Why was Trafalgar Square named so?

11. Why does Buckingham Palace attract so many tourists?

12. What are the most famous London museums and art galleries?

 

 

THE USA

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). It occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a sea-boarder with Russia.

The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia, a special federal area where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is more than 270 million.

If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains.

The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley which is located in Alaska.

America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.

The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part is continental. The south has a subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.

The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It's the world's leading producer of copper and oil and the world's second producer of iron ore and coal. Among the most important manufacturing industries are aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, armaments, furniture and paper.

Though mainly European and African in origin, Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations, including Chinese and native Americans.

The largest cities are: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San-Francisco, Washington and others.

The United States is a federal union of 50 states, each of which has its own government. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, DC. According to the US Constitution the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive, headed by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress, and the judicial. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic, though there's hardly any difference between their political lines.

 

Names

the United [ju:'naitid] States of America

Соединенные Штаты Америки

Russia [tAja] Россия

Canada ['kaenade] Канада

China ['tjaina] Китай

North America Северная Америка

the Pacific Ocean [pa,sifik 'aujn] Тихий океан

the Atlantic Ocean [a,tlaentik 'aufn] Атлантический

океан

Alaska [a'laeska] Аляска

Hawaii [ha'wai-i] Гавайи

Mexico ['meksikau] Мексика

District of Columbia [.distrikt av ka'lAmbia] округ

Колумбия

Washington ['wofirjtan] Вашингтон

the Rocky Mountains Скалистые горы

the Cordillera [,ko:di'jeera] Кордильеры

the Sierra Nevada [si,era nivaeda] Сьерра-Невада

Mount McKinley [,maunt ma'kinli] гора Мак-Кинли

the Mississippi [,misi'sipi] Миссисипи

the Missouri [mi'zuari] Миссури

the Rio Grande [,г\:э(и)'дгхпй] Рио-Гранде

the Columbia [ka'lAmbia] Колумбия

the Great Lakes Великие озера (5 озер: Мичиган,

Онтарио, Гурон, Верхнее озеро и Эри)

the Gulf of Mexico [,дл№ av 'meksikau]

Мексиканский залив

Florida ['florida] Флорида

Los Angeles [bs 'aend3ali:z] Лос-Анджелес

Chicago [fitegau] Чикаго

Philadelphia [,fila'delfia] Филадельфия

Detroit [di'troit] Детройт

San-Francisco [.saenfran'siskau] Сан-Франциско

the Congress ['koggres] Конгресс

the Senate ['senit] Сенат

the House of Representatives [,repri'zentativz |

Палата представителей

the Republican [ri'pAblikan] and the Democratic

Ldema'kraetik] parties Республиканская и

Демократическая партии

 

Vocabulary

to occupy ['okjupai] занимать

southern ['злдап] южный

to stretch тянуться, простираться

to include [in'klu:d] включать

total area [.tautl 'earia] общая площадь

to border [ bo:da] on фаничить с

sea-border морская граница

federal ['federal] федеральный

lowlands [laulandz] низменность, долина, низина

to be located [lau'keitid] находиться, быть

расположенным

to vary [veari] меняться, варьировать

arctic ['a:ktik] арктический

continental [,kont'rnentl] континентальный

subtropical [,sAb'tropikl] субтропический

typhoon [tai'ftrn] тайфун

coast ['kaust] побережье

highly developed [divelapt] высокоразвитый

copper медь

oil ['oil] нефть

iron ore ['aian,o:] железная руда

coal ['kaul] каменный уголь

manufacturing [,msenju'fsektjarir)] промышленный

aircraft ['eakra:ft] самолеты, самолетостроение

textile ['tekstail] текстиль

armament ['a:mamant] вооружение

origin ['orid3in] происхождение

Chinese [tfai'nhz] китайский; китаец

according [a'kotdirj] to в соответствии с, согласно, по

powers f'pauaz] полномочия

branch [bra:ntj] ветвь

the executive [ig'zekjutiv] исполнительная власть

the legislative [,led3is'leitiv] законодательная власть

the judicial [d3u:'dijal] судебная власть

 

Questions

1. Where is the USA situated?

2. What's the total area of the country?

3. What countries does the USA border on?

4. How many states does the USA consist of?

5. What is the capital of the country?

6. Can you name any other cities in the USA?

7. What is the population of the United States?

8. What mountains in the USA do you know?

9. What are the largest rivers?

10. What can you say about the climate of the country?

11. What does the USA produce?

12. According to the US Constitution the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches. What are they?

13. How many chambers does the Congress of the USA consist?

14. What are the main political parties in the USA?

15. Who is the US President now?

 

WASHINGTON, DC

Washington is the capital of the United States of America. It's situated in the District of Columbia and is like no other city in the USA. It's the world's largest one-industry city. And that industry is government. The White House, where the US President lives and works, the Capitol, the home of the US Congress, and the Supreme Court, are all in Washington.

Washington was named after the first US President George Washington.

He selected the place for the capital and Pierre L'Enfant, a French engineer, designed the city.

Washington was first settled in 1790 and since 1800 it has been the federal capital.

Washington is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in the United States. In the very centre of it rises the huge dome of the Capitol — a big white dome standing on a circle of pillars. The 535 members of the Congress meet here to discuss the nation's affairs. It's easy to get lost in this huge building, full of paintings and statues.

Not far from the Capitol is the Library of Congress, the largest library in the States. It contains more than 13 million books, more than 19 million manuscripts, including the personal papers of the US presidents.

The White House is the official residence of the US President. He works in the Oval Office.

One can hardly find a park, a square or an open area in Washington without a monument or a memorial. The most impressive and the best-known ones are the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

There are some important museums in Washington where you can see all kinds of things: famous paintings and sculptures, the dresses of Presidents's wives, the original of the Declaration of Independence, the largest blue diamond in the world, etc.

There are 5 universities in Washington.

There are no skyscrapers in Washington, because they would hide the city's many monuments from view. No building in the city may be more than 40 metres tall.

Thousands of tourists visit Washington every day. People from all parts of the United States come to see their capital.

 

Names

Washington ['woJiQtan] Вашингтон

the District of Columbia |,distrikt av Кэ'1лтЫэ] округ Колумбия

the White House Белый Дом (резиденция

президента США)

the Capitol ['kaepital] Капитолий (здание

конгресса США)

the Congress ['korjgres] Конгресс

the Supreme Court [su:(sju:),pri:m 'ko:t]

Верховный суд

Pierree L'Enfant [pi,ea la:n'fa:nt] Пьер Ланфан

the Library of Congress Библиотека конгресса

Oval ['auvi] Office Овальный кабинет (рабочий

кабинет президента США)

the Lincoln Memorial ['liQkan mi'mo:rial] памятник

Линкольну

the Washington Monument о белиск в честь

Джорджа Вашингтона

the Declaration of Independence [,dekle'reijn av

Jnda'pendans] Декларация независимости (приня-

та 4 июля 1776 года вторым континентальным

конгрессом в период войны за независимость

Северной Америки (1775—1783); провозглашала

Отделение колоний от метрополии и образова-

ние самостоятельного государства — США)

 

Vocabulary

to design [di'zain] проектировать, создавать

to settle ['sell] поселять, заселять

huge [hju:d3] огромный, колоссальный

dome fdaum] купол

circle ['S3:kl] круг

pillar f'pila] столб, колонна

affair [a'fea] дело

to get lost заблудиться

to contain [kan'tein] содержать

manuscript ['maenjuskript] рукопись

personal ['рз:зпэ1] papers личные бумаги

official residence [a,fijl 'rezidans] официальная

резиденция

ibmpressive [im'presiv] производящий

впечатление, впечатляющий

original [a'rid3inl] оригинал

diamond ['daiamand] алмаз, бриллиант

skyscraper ['skai,skreipa] небоскреб

 

Questions

1. Where is Washington situated?

2. Is Washington a typical American city?

3. It's the world's largest one-industry city, isn't it? What kind of industry is it?

4. What important government buildings are situated in Washington?

5. Where does the US president live and work?

6. Who selected the place for the capital of the USA?

7. Is there a monument to George Washington in the city?

8. When was Washington first settled?

9. Who designed the capital of the USA?

10. What places of interest in Washington do you know?

11. How many universities are there in Washington?

12. Why aren't there any skyscrapers in Washington?

 

THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. It occupies about one-seventh of the earth's surface. It covers the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. Its total area is about 17 million square kilometres.

The country is washed by 12 seas of 3 oceans: the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic. In the south Russia borders on China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. In the west it borders on Norway, Finland, the Baltic States, Belorussia, the Ukraine. It also has a sea-border with the USA.

There's hardly a country in the world where such a variety of scenery and vegetation can be found. We have steppes in the south, plains and forests in the midland, tundra and taiga in the north, highlands and deserts in the east.

There are two great plains in Russia: the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Lowland. There are several mountain chains on the territory of the country: the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest mountain chain, the Urals, separates Europe from Asia.

There are over two million rivers in Russia. Europe's biggest river, the Volga, flows into the Caspian Sea. The main Siberian rivers - - the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena — flow from the south to the north. The Amur in the Far East flows into the Pacific Ocean.

Russia is rich in beautiful lakes. The world's deepest lake (1,600 metres) is Lake Baikal. It's much smaller than the Baltic Sea, but there's much more water in it than in the Baltic Sea. The water in the lake is so clear that if you look down you can count the stones on the bottom.

Russia has one-sixth of the world's forests. They are concentrated in the European north of the country, in Siberia and in the Far East.

On the vast territory of the country there are various types of climate, from arctic in the north to subtropical in the south. In the middle of the country the climate is temperate and continental.

Russia is very rich in oil, coal, iron ore, natural gas, copper, nickel and other mineral resources.

Russia is a parliamentary republic. The Head of State is the President.

The legislative powers are exercised by the Duma.

The capital of Russia is Moscow. It's its largest political, scientific, cultural and industrial centre. It's one of the oldest Russian cities.

At present, the political and economic situation in the country is rather complicated. The industrial production is decreasing. The prices are constantly rising, the rate of inflation is rather high. People are losing their jobs because many factories and plants are going bankrupt.

But in spite of the problems Russia is facing at present, there are a lot of opportunities for this country to become one of the leading countries in the world. I'm sure that we, the younger generation, can do very much to make Russia as strong and powerful as it used to be.

 

Names

the Russian Federation [,feda'reijn] Российская

Федерация

Europe ['ju:arap] Европа

Asia ['eifa] Азия

the Pacific Ocean [pa,sifik 'aujn] Тихий океан

the Arctic Ocean [,a:ktik 'aujn] Северный

Ледовитый океан

the Atlantic Ocean [a,tl3entik 'aujn] Атлантический

океан

China ['tjaina] Китай

Mongolia [morj'gaulia] Монголия

Korea [kau'ria] Корея

Kazakhstan [,kaezaek'sta:n] Казахстан

Georgia ['0(30:0)33] Грузия

Azerbaijan [,aezabai'd3a:n] Азербайджан

Norway ['no:wei] Норвегия

Finland [linlend] Финляндия

the Baltic ['bo:ltik] States Прибалтийские

государства

Belorus [,belau'rus] Беларусь

the Ukraine [ju:'krein] Украина

the Great Russian Plain Русская

(Восточно-Европейская) равнина

the West Siberian [sai'biarian] Lowland

Западно-Сибирская низменность

the Urals ['juaralz] Уральские горы

the Caucasus ['ko:kasas] Кавказ

the Altai [/O'tai] Алтай

the Volga ['volga] Волга

the Caspian ['kaespian] Sea Каспийское море

the Ob [ob], [o:pj] Обь

the Yenisei [jeni'sei] Енисей

Amur [э'тиэ] Амур

Lake Baikal [bai'ka:!] озеро Байкал

the Baltic ['boiltikj Sea Балтийское море

Siberia [sai'biaria] Сибирь

the Far East Дальний Восток

 

Vocabulary

to occupy ['okjupai] занимать

surface ['S3:fls] поверхность

eastern [1:stan] восточный

northern ['пэ:Ээп] северный

total area [,tautl 'earia] общая площадь

square [skwea] квадратный

kilometre ['kila,mi:ta] километр

to wash омывать

to border f'bo:da] on граничить с

sea-border морская граница

There's hardly a country in the world...

Едва ли найдется страна...

variety [va'raiati] разнообразие, множество

scenery ['shnari] пейзаж, ландшафт

vegetation [,ved3i'teijn] растительность

steppe [step] степь

plain равнина

midland ['midland] средняя полоса

tundra ['Undra] тундра

taiga [tai'ga:] тайга

highland ['hailand] нагорье, высокогорная

местность

desert ['dezat] пустыня

chain цепь

to separate ['separeit] разделять

to flow [Паи] into впадать

Siberian [sai'biarian] сибирский

to count ['kaunt] считать

bottom ['botam] дно

to concentrate ['konsantreit] сосредотачиваться,

концентрироваться

European [juara'phsn] европейский

vast [va:st] обширный

territory ['teritari] территория

various [vearias] различный

climate ['klaimit] климат, климатический пояс

arctic ['a:ktik] арктический

subtropical [,s/to'tropikl] субтропический

temperate ['tempi-it] умеренный

continental [,konti'nentl] континентальный

oil [oil] нефть

coal [kaul] уголь

iron ore ['aian,o:] железная руда

copper медь

mineral resources [ri'soisiz] полезные ископаемые

parliamentary [,pa:la'mentri] парламентский

head of state глава государства

legislative [Jedjis'leitiv] законодательный

powers f'pauaz] полномочия

to exercise f'eksasaiz] осуществлять, выполнять

scientific [,saian'tffik] научный

complicated ['komplikeitid] сложный, запутанный

to decrease [di'kri:s] снижаться, падать

constantly ['konstantli] постоянно

the rate of inflation [in'fleijn] уровень инфляции

to go bankrupt ['baerjkrApt] обанкротиться

in spite of несмотря на

the younger generation [,d3ena'reijn] молодое

поколение

powerful ['pauaful] могучий

 

Questions

1. Where is the Russian Federation situated?

2. What is the total area of the country?

3. What countries does Russia border on?

4. What mountain chain separates Europe from Asia?

5. How many rivers are there in Russia?

6. Which is the longest river in Europe?

7. What do you know about Lake Baikal?

8. Do you know what strait separates Russia from America?

9. What mineral resources is the Russian Federation rich in?

10. What is the climate like in Russia?

11. What can you say about the present economic situation in Russia?

12. What great Russians do you know?

 

 

MOSCOW

Moscow is the capital of Russia, its political, economic, commercial and cultural centre. It was founded 8 centuries ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky.

Historians have accepted the year of 1147 as the start of Moscow's history.

Gradually the city became more and more powerful. In the 13th century Moscow was the centre of the straggle of Russian lands for the liberation from the tartar yoke. In the 16th century under Ivan the Terrible Moscow became the capital of the new united state. Though Peter the Great moved the capital to St Petersburg in 1712, Moscow remained the heart of Russia. That is why it became the main target of Napoleon's attack. Three-quarters of the city was destroyed by fire during Napoleon's occupation, but by the mid-19th century Moscow had been completely restored. After the October revolution Moscow became the capital again.

Now Moscow is one of the largest cities in Europe. Its total area is about nine hundred square kilometres (ancient Moscow occupied the territory of the present-day Kremlin). The population of the city is over 9 million.

Moscow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The heart of Moscow is Red Square. It has more historic associations than any other place in Moscow. The Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral (Vasily Blazheny) are masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture.

The main Kremlin tower, the Spasskaya Tower, has become the symbol of the country. On the territory of the Kremlin you can see old cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Tzar-Cannon and the Tzar-Bell, the biggest cannon and bell in the world. St Basil's Cathedral was built in the mid-16th century in memory of the victory over Kazan. There's a legend that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects Barma and Postnik, because he didn't want them to create another masterpiece.

There are a lot of beautiful palaces, old mansions, cathedrals, churches and monuments in Moscow. Now Moscow is being reconstructed and we all hope that in a few years the city will become even more beautiful.

There are more than 100 museums in Moscow. The largest museums are the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the State Tretyakov Gallery. Other unique museums in Moscow include the All-Russia Museum of Folk Arts, the Andrei Rublev Museum of Early Russian Art, Alexei Bakhrushin Theatre Museum, Mikhail Glinka Museum of Musical Culture and many others.

Moscow is famous for its theatres. The best-known of them is the Bolshoi Opera House. Drama theatres and studios are also very popular.

Moscow is a city of students. There are over 100 higher educational institutions in it.

Moscow is the seat of the Russian Parliament (the Duma) and the centre of political life of the country.

 

Names

Ivan the Terrible [,aivn da 'teribl] Иван Грозный

Peter the Great [greit] Петр Великий (Петр I)

St Petersburg [sant 'pi:tazb3:g] Санкт-Петербург

Napoleon [na'paulian] Наполеон

St Basil's Cathedral [sant,baezlz kaG'hdral] собор

Василия Блаженного

the Bell Tower ['taua] of Ivan the Great

Колокольня Ивана Великого

the Tzar-Cannon ['za:(tsa:) 'kaenan] Царь-пушка

the Tzar-Bell ['za:(tsa:) 'bel] Царь-колокол

Barma [Ьэ'та:] and Postnik ['paustnik] Барма и

Постник

the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

Музей изобразительных искусств

имени Пушкина

Kazan [ka'zaen] Казань

the State Tretyakov ['tretjakof] Gallery ['gaeleri]

Государственная Третьяковская галерея

the All-Russia Museum of Folk [fauk] Arts

Всероссийский музей декоративного,

прикладного и народного искусства

the Andrei Rublev Museum of Early Russian Art

Музей древнерусского искусства имени Андрея

Рублева

Alexei Bakhrushin Theatre Museum

Театральный музей имени Бахрушина

Mikhail Glinka ['gliQka] Museum of Musical Culture

Музей музыкальной культуры имени Глинки

the Bolshoi [,bol'Joi] Opera House Большой театр

оперы и балета

 

Vocabulary

historian [his'to:rian] историк

to accept [ak'sept] принимать, допускать

gradually ['graedjuali] постепенно

powerful ['pauaful] сильный, могущественный

liberation [Jiba'reijn] освобождение

tartar yoke ['ta:ta 'jauk] татарское иго

united [jurnaitid] соединенный, объединенный

to remain [ri'mein] оставаться

target f'ta:git] мишень, цель, объект

attack [a'tsek] нападение, атака

to destroy [dis'troi] разрушать

fire [faia] пожар

occupation [pkju'peijn] оккупация

completely [kam'pli:tli] полностью, целиком

to restore [ris'to:] реставрировать, восстанавливать

ancient f'einfant] древний

masterpiece (;ma:stapi:s] шедевр

architecture ['a:kitektja] архитектура

architect ['a:kitakt] архитектор, зодчий

tower ['taua] башня

legend ['Ied3andj легенда

to,blind [blaind] ослепить

palace ['paelis] дворец

mansion ['maenjn] особняк

to reconstruct [/hkan'sti-Akt] перестраивать,

восстанавливать

unique [ju:'ni:k] уникальный, единственный

в своем роде

drama ['dra:maj theatre драматический театр

studio ['stu:(stju:)diau] студия, театр-студия

higher educational institution высшее учебное

заведение

 

Questions

1. When was Moscow founded?

2. Is there a monument to Yuri Dolgoruky in Moscow? Where is it?

3. When did Moscow become the capital?

4. In 1712 the capital was moved to St Petersburg, wasn't it? When did Moscow become the capital again?

5. Was ancient Moscow a big city? What's the total area of modern Moscow?

6. What's the population of Moscow?

7. What places of interest in the centre of Moscow do you know?

8. What do you know about St Basil's Cathedral?

9. What can you see on the territory of the Kremlin?

10. What are the most famous Moscow museums? (art galleries?)

11. What theatres in Moscow do you know?

12. What is your favorite place in Moscow?

 

ST PETERSBURG

St Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great as the "Window on the West". Thousands of workmen were brought from all parts of Russia to build a new city on the swampy land at the mouth of the Neva River. Peter the Great was in a hurry. The work was fast and hard, and workmen dropped dead by the hundreds. But the work went on.

In 1917 St Petersburg, a city of great beauty, with palaces, cathedrals, churches, government buildings became the capital. Under later rulers the new capital of the Russian Empire grew rapidly in wealth and beauty. Architects were brought from western Europe to lay out the city in harmonious squares.

Buildings were constructed of grey and rose-coloured granite. The Hermitage Palace and the Winter Palace, the homes of the tsars, were equal to any in Europe.

When the First World War began in 1914, the German-sounding name, St Petersburg, was changed to Petrograd. After the October Revolution the city was renamed after Lenin.

During the Great Patriotic War the city suffered a great deal. The German armies laid siege to it in 1941, and for the next year and a half it was cut off from the rest of the country. No food could be brought in, and people died of starvation. Daily shelling and air raids destroyed parts of the city. Thousands of people were killed. Rebuilding took years.

Now St Petersburg is an important industrial, cultural and educational centre. The population of the city is over 5 million.

St Petersburg is indeed a wonderful city: at every turn there's something to catch your eye. The Winter Palace, the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, St Isaac's Cathedral, the Peter-and-Paul Fortress, the Admiralty building attract thousands of tourists from every corner of the world.

Petersburg's many museums house some of the world's most famous art collections. The Hermitage, for example, contains the richest collection of pictures in the world.

The city is called the Northern Venice because there are 65 rivers, arms and canals there with artistically decorated bridges. It's also famous for its beautiful white nights.

 

Names

St Petersburg [sent 'p!:tezb3:g] Санкт-Петербург Peter the Great Петр Великий (Петр I)

the Neva ['neiva] Нева

the Hermitage ['haimitidj] Palace Эрмитаж

the Winter Palace Зимний дворец

Petrograd ['petragraed] Петроград

the Russian Museum Русский музей

St Isaac's Cathedral [sent,aizaks ka-eh

Исаакиевский собор

the Peter-and-Paul Fortress ['pi:taran'po:l 'fcxtris]

Петропавловская крепость

the Admiralty ['aedmiralti] Адмиралтейство

Vocabulary

swampy ['swompi] болотистый

mouth [таив] устье (реки)

to drop dead [ded] упасть замертво

by the hundreds сотнями

ruler ['ru:la] правитель

empire ['empale] империя

rapidly ['raepidli] быстро

to lay out планировать

harmonious [ha:'meunjas] гармоничный

granite ['graenrt] гранит

equal [1:kwal] равный, не уступающий

to rename переименовывать

to suffer ['sAfa] страдать

to lay siege [si:d3] to осадить

starvation [sta:'veijn] голод

shelling ['Jelirj] бомбежки

air raid ['ea reid] воздушный налет

to destroy [di'stroi] разрушать

to catch smb's eye привлечь внимание, поразить

to attract [a'traekt] привлекать, притягивать

arm рукав (реки)

canal [ka'nael] канал

artistically [a:'tistikali] мастерски

to decorate ['dekareit] украшать

bridge [brid3] мост

 

Questions

1. Have you ever been to St Petersburg?

2. Is St Petersburg as old as Moscow?

3. Who was the city founded by and when did it become the capital of the Russian Empire?

4. Peter I thought that Moscow looked provincial in comparison with the capitals he had visited and decided to build a magnificent city equal to any European capital. Did he succeed?

5. How many times has the city been renamed and why?

6. Did the city suffer a great deal during the Great Patriotic War?

7. What is St Petersburg famous for?

8. Have you ever been to the Russian Museum? (the Hermitage?)

9. What other places of interest in St Petersburg do you know?

10. Why is St Petersburg called the Northern Venice?

 

Literature and Arts

 

LIBRARIES

The word library comes from the Latin word liber, meaning "a book". This is a place where information in print (books, manuscripts, periodicals and musical scores) and in other forms is collected and arranged to serve people of all ages and interests.

Libraries appeared in ancient times in Egypt, Assyria, Greece and Rome.

Perhaps the most famous library of that early day was at Alexandria. It was found by Ptolomy I. Ptolomy ordered the librarians to collect all Greek texts as well as manuscripts in other languages from every part of the known world. By the middle of the 1st century BC there were about 700,000 papyrus rolls in the library.

The first libraries in Russia were established in medieval monasteries.

Public libraries were opened in the 19* century at the Academy of Sciences and Moscow University.

The library today is a centre for all kinds of communications: printed, pictured, recorded, and even electronically stored. People go to the library to read, look, listen, search, inquire, relax, discuss, learn, and think.

Libraries can be found in many places. There are libraries in small towns and large cities, and there are libraries in schools, universities, colleges.

The largest and best known libraries in the world are: the British National Library in London, the Library of Congress in Washington and the Russian State Library.

The national libraries of different countries keep in touch and exchange books and information.

Most libraries have a professionally educated staff whose first duty is to help you. Librarians also select and purchase books and other materials, organize materials so that you can easily use them, answer questions about facts, people, events, or advise you how to find the information you need.

Many people have books at home. These are the books of their favourite authors, dictionaries and reference books and the like. My family also has a home library. It was my grandfather who started to collect it at the beginning of this century. There are over two thousand books in it. The authors I like most of all are Chekhov, Bulgakov, Fitzgerald, Cortasar and others.

 

Names

Egypt [1:d3ipt] Египет Assyria [a'siria] Ассирия (древняя империя в

Alexandria [,aelig'za:ndri8] Александрия (город Западной Азии на реке Тигр)

и порт в Египте, основанный Александром Greece [gri:s] Греция

Македонским) Rome [raum] Рим

Ptolemy I ['tolami da 'f3:st] Птолемей I (первый

представитель эллинистической династии

Птолемеев, правившей в Египте в 305-30 гг.

до н.э.; полководец Александра Македонского)

the Library of Congress Библиотека конгресса

the Academy of Sciences [a,kaedami av 'saiansizj

Академия наук

the British National t'naejnl] Library Британская

национальная библиотека

the Russian State Library Российская

государственная библиотека

Chekhov ['tjekof] Чехов А.П.

Bulgakov [bul'ga:kof] Булгаков М.А.

Fitzgerald [,fits'd3erald] Фицджеральд Ф.С.

(известный американский писатель XXв.)

Cortasar [ko:'ta:sa] Кортасар X. (аргентинский

писатель)

 

Vocabulary

information in print информация в печатной форме

manuscript ['maenjuskript] рукопись

periodical [piari'odikl] периодическое издание

musical score [sko:] музыкальная партитура

to arrange [a'reind3] приводить в порядок,

классифицировать

ancient ['einjnt] древний, старинный

to order ['o:ds] приказывать

librarian [lai'brearian] библиотекарь

BC [,bi."si:] до нашей эры (сокр. от Before Christ

[kraist])

papyrus rolls [pa'paiaras 'raulz] папирусные свитки

to establish [is'taeblij] учреждать, основывать

medieval [,medi'i:val] средневековый

monastery ['monastri] монастырь

public library публичная библиотека

communication [ka,mju:ni'keijn] передача

информации, общение, связь

to record [ri'kord] записывать (на пленку и т.п.)

to store [sto:] хранить

to search [sa:tf] искать

to inquire [in'kwaia] наводить справки, узнавать

to relax [ri'laeks] отдыхать, развлекаться

to keep in touch with поддерживать связь с

to exchange [iks'tjeind3] обменивать(ся)

staff [sta:f] служебный персонал, штат

duty ['dju:ti] долг

to select [si'lekt] выбирать

to purchase [-p3:tjas] закупать, приобретать

event [i'vent] событие

reference ['refarans] book справочник

and the like и тому подобное

 

Questions

1. What word does the word "library" come from?

2. What is a library?

3. Where did the first libraries appear?

4. What do you know about the famous library at Alexandria?

5. What is the library today?

6. Where can libraries be found?

7. Why do people go to libraries?

8. What are the famous libraries of the world?

9. What do we call the people who help us in libraries?

10. Have you got any books at home?

11. Who are your favourite authors?

12. Do you often borrow books from the library?

 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare, the greatest and most famous of English writers, and probably the greatest playwright who has ever lived, was bom on the 23d of April, 1564, in Stratford-on-Avon.

In spite of his fame we know very little about his life. At the age of six he was sent to school, but had to leave it at the age of 13. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove-maker, and when he fell into debt, William had to help him in the trade.

Just what William did between his fourteenth and eighteenth year isn't known. At the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway. Ann was eight years older than her husband and the marriage wasn't a happy one.

When Shakespeare was twenty-one, he went to London. We don't know why he left Stratford-on-Avon.

There is a story that Shakespeare's first job in London was holding rich men's horses at the theatre door. But nobody can be sure that this story is true.

Later, Shakespeare became an actor and a member of a very successful acting company. It's highly probable that The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet and some other plays by Shakespeare were performed for the first time on this stage.

Very soon, however, the actors were told that they could no longer use the land that their theatre was built on and the company had nowhere else to perform. There is a story that in the dead of night the whole acting troop took down their theatre, timber by timber, brick by brick. They carried it across the river and rebuilt it. The new theatre was called the Globe.

Shakespeare's Globe was rather different from modern theatres. The plays were performed in the open air and the audience got wet if it rained. There was no scenery, very few props, and the only lighting was the daylight that came from the open roof above. Women in those days weren't allowed to act in public and all the parts (even Juliet!) were played by men. Much of the audience stood to watch the performance and moved around, talking with each other and throwing fruit at the stage if they didn't like something.

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays: 10 tragedies (such as Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, Macbeth), 17 comedies (such as As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing), 10 historical plays (such as Henry IV, Richard III.). He also left 7 books of poems.

Most of Shakespeare's plays were not published in his lifetime. So some of them may have been lost in the fire when the Globe burnt down in 1613.

Shakespeare spent the last years of his life at Stratford, where he died, ironically, on the same date as his birthday, the 23d of April, 1616. He was buried in the church of Stratford. A monument was erected to the memory of the great playwright in the Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey. In 1997, Shakespeare's Globe was restored.

 

Names

William Shakespeare [,wiliam -feikspia]

Вильям Шекспир

Stratford-on-Avon [,straetfad on 'eivn]

Стрэтфорд-на-Эвоне

Anne Hathaway ['haeSawei] Анна Хатавей

The Comedy of Errors [da 'komadi av 'eraz]

Комедия Ошибок

Romeo and Juliet [/aumiau and 'd3ii:liat]

Ромео и Джульетта

the Globe ['glaub] Глобус

Hamlet ['haemlit] Гамлет

King Lear [,kit) lie] Король Лир

Othello [a'Selau] Отелло

Macbeth [mak'beG] Макбет

As You Like It Как вам это понравится

Twelfth Night [,twelf0 'nait] Двенадцатая ночь

Much Ado [a'du:] About Nothing

Много шума из ничего

Henry IV [,henri da 'fo:9] Генрих IV

Richard III [,ritfad За 03:d] Ричард III

Westminster Abbey [,westminstar 'aebi]

Вестминстерское аббатсво

 

Vocabulary

playwright ['pleirait] драматург

fame ['feim] слава

glove-maker ['gl/wmeika] перчаточник

to fall into debt ['del] влезть в долги

trade [treid] ремесло

marriage ['maeridj] брак

to hold [tiauld] (held) держать

member ['memba] член

successful [sak'sesfal] удачливый, имеющий

успех

acting company ['tampani] театральная труппа

it's highly probable ['prababl] весьма вероятно

to perform [pa'fo:m] играть, исполнять

stage [steid3] сцена

however [hau'eve] однако, тем не менее

could no longer use больше не могут использовать

had nowhere else to perform негде было играть

in the dead [ded] of night под покровом ночи

troop [tru:p] труппа

to take down разобрать

timber by timber ['timba] по бревну

brick by brick [brik] по кирпичику

audience ['ordians] зрители

to get wet промокнуть

scenery ['shnari] декорации

props [props] реквизит

lighting [laitirj] освещение

daylight fdeilait] дневной свет

in public ['pAblik] публично, на людях

to move around ['mu:v e'raund] двигаться,

передвигаться

tragedy ['traed3idi] трагедия

comedy ['komidi] комедия

may have been lost возможно, утеряны

to burn down [ten 'daun] (burnt)

сгореть (до тла)

ironically [ai'ronikeli] по иронии судьбы

to be buried ['berid] быть похороненным

church ['tja:tf] церковь

monument ['monjumant] памятник

to erect [i'rekt] воздвигать

to the memory ['memeri] of в память о

to restore [ri'sto:] восстанавливать

 

Questions

1. The last half of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries are known as the age of Shakespeare. Can you explain why?

2. When was Shakespeare bom?

3. He lived in Stratford-on-Avon until he was twenty-one, didn't he? Why did he leave Stratford?

4. What was his first job in London?

5. Why did the acting company decide to build a new theatre?

6. In what way was Shakespeare's Globe different from modem theatres?

7. How many plays did Shakespeare write?

8. Have you read any of his plays?

9. What happened to the Globe?

10. When was the Globe restored?

11. When did Shakespeare die?

12. Is Shakespeare famous in Russia?

 

ANTON CHEKHOV

My favourite writer is Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. In my opinion, he is the greatest Russian dramatist and short-story writer. I'm never tired of reading and rereading his plays and humorous stories.

Chekhov was bom in 1860 in Taganrog. In 1879 he went to Moscow, where he studied medicine. Though he practised little as a doctor in his lifetime, he was prouder of his medical knowledge than of his writing talent.

While in college, Chekhov wrote humorous sketches for comic papers to support his family. He collected the best ones into a volume, Motley Stories, in 1886. The book attracted the attention of the publisher of the Novoje Vfemja, Russia's largest paper, and Chekhov was asked to contribute stories regularly.

Chekhov, as an established writer, was able to develop a style of his own.

Though he never gave up writing comic stories, he began working in a more serious vein. In 1887 Ivanov, his first play, established Chekhov as a dramatist.

From then on, he concentrated on writing plays, as well as short stories.

Chekhov was seriously ill. He had tuberculosis and knew what it meant.

By 1892 his health was so bad that he was afraid to spend another winter in Moscow. He bought a small estate near a village Melikhovo, 50 miles from Moscow. He spent 5 years there, and those were happy years in spite of the illness. He wrote some of his best stories there, including Ward No.6, several well-known one-act comedies and two of his serious dramatic masterpieces, The Seagull and Uncle Vanya.

The Seagull was first staged in the Alexandrinsky Theatre in Petersburg.

It was a complete failure because of the dull and clumsy production. It was a cruel blow to Chekhov. However, the play was successfully performed as the first production of the Moscow Art Theatre in 1898. From then on, Chekhov was closely connected with this theatre and with its founder, K.S. Stanislavsky. In 1901 he married an Art Theatre actress, Olga Knipper, who acted in his play The Three Sisters the same year.

Chekhov's health went from bad to worse and he had to spend the remaining years in the Crimea and other health spas.

The Cherry Orchard, his last play, was produced in 1904. Soon after the first night Chekhov died. He was 44.

Chekhov had an immense influence on the 20th century drama. Besides, several generations of writers both in Russia and abroad studied and imitated Chekhov to perfect their own literary style.

 

Names

Chekhov Anton Pavlovich ['tjekof,aentan 'paevlovitf]

Чехов Антон Павлович

Taganrog [Дэедэп'год] Таганрог

Motley ['motli] Stories Пестрые рассказы

Ivanov [i'va:nof] Иванов

Ward [wo:d] No.6 Палата N 6

The Seagull ['si:,gAl] Чайка

Uncle Vanya ['AQkl 'va:nja] Дядя Ваня

the Alexandrinsky [ajegzan'drmski] Theatre

Александрийский театр

the Moscow Art Theatre Московский

Художественный театр

The Three Sisters Три сестры

the Crimea [krai'mia] Крым

The Cherry Orchard [Men 'o:tjad] Вишневый сад

 

Vocabulary

in my opinion по-моему

dramatist ['dramatist] драматург