- •Approaches to studying history
- •Передмова
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: history
- •What historians study
- •III. Find English equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •IV. Say whether these statements correspond to the information of the text:
- •V. Answer the questions to the text:
- •VI. Finish the sentences according the information of the text:
- •VII. Insert necessary words and expressions using those from the box:
- •Unit II
- •II. Read and translate the text: history and prehistory
- •III. Particular studies and fields
- •IV. Study the given below lexical units and provide their Ukrainian variants:
- •V. Interpret the following in English:
- •VI. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •VII. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VIII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •IX. Answer the following questions:
- •Unit III
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: theories of history
- •The development of historical writing
- •III. Find English equivalents in the text:
- •IV. Define the key sentences of the text.
- •V. Interpret the following in English:
- •VI. Arrange the following in pairs of synonyms:
- •VII. Error correction. Define false statements and give their right versions:
- •VIII. Answer the questions trying not to give a one-word answer, add some information to develop the idea:
- •IX. Give the summary of the text.
- •X. Render the text close to its original variant.
- •XI. Translate the following passage in written form; entitle it; put 5 questions (of different types):
- •XII. Write an essay on the following topics:
- •Unit IV
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: historical methods
- •III. Study the given bellow lexical units and provide their Ukrainian variant:
- •IV. Define the key sentences of the text.
- •V. Complete the following statements to develop the idea:
- •II. Read and translate the text: historycal analysis
- •III. Study the given below lexical units (provide Ukrainian variant):
- •IV. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •V. Interpret the following in English:
- •VII. Find synonyms in the text for the following words and word combinations:
- •VIII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •IX. Gap filling:
- •X. Answer the following questions:
- •Unit VI
- •II. Read and translate the text. Periodization
- •III. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •IV. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •V. Study the given below lexical units (provide the Ukrainian variant):
- •VI. Explain the expressions in other words:
- •VII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VIII. – Match the historical terms listed up in column a with the definitions provided in column b.
- •IX. Complete the following statements to develop the idea:
- •X. Answer the questions on the text:
- •XI. Insert prepositions in the gaps and translate the text.
- •Origins of periodization
- •XII. Put the following words in their correct place in the passage below.
- •Periodization of origins
- •XIII. Give the summary of the text.
- •XIV. Render the text close to its original variant. Unit VII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: history of science
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IX. Fill in the blanks using the information from the text:
- •X. Questions to be answered:
- •XI. Give the summary of the text.
- •XII. Render the text close to its original variant.
- •XIII. Make a written translation of the following passage: The origins of the discipline
- •Unit VIII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: the methods of doing history of science
- •III. Match the words with their definitions:
- •IX. Answer the following questions:
- •Unit IX
- •II. Read and translate the text: chronology
- •III. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •IV. Explain the expressions in other words:
- •V. Study the given below lexical units (provide the Ukrainian variants):
- •VI. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms
- •VII. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •VIII. - Find the following adjectives and nouns from the text (column a and column b):
- •IX. Scan the gapped sentences and fill in the blanks:
- •X. Answer the questions on the text:
- •XI. Give the summary of the text.
- •XII. Render the text close to its original variant.
- •XIII. Make a written translation of the text. Entitle and retell it. Put all types of questions covering the plot of the text.
- •Chronological subjects
- •Anno Domini
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: chronicle
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •VIII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •IX. Select endings for the given statements to develop the idea:
- •X. Check how well you remember the text:
- •Unit XI
- •II. Read and translate the text: historiography
- •III. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •X. Say whether these statements correspond to the information of the text:
- •XI. Give the summary of the text.
- •XII. Render the text close to its original variant.
- •XIII. Make a written translation of the following passage. Put all types of questions. Modern historiography
- •XIV*. Use the sources available to find some additional information on the issue. Present your reports in the class. Unit XII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: ancient historiography
- •Greek historiography
- •Roman historiography
- •VII. Interpret the expressions in other words:
- •VIII. - Find the following adjectives and nouns from the text (column a and column b):
- •IX. Read the gapped statements and fill in the blanks using the knowledge of the text:
- •X. Answer the questions on the text:
- •XI. Give the summary of the text.
- •XII. Render the text close to its original variant. Unit XIII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: eastern historiography Chinese historiography
- •Muslim historiography
- •III. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •IV. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •V. Study the given below lexical units (provide the Ukrainian variants):
- •VI. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VII. Explain the expressions and sentences in other words:
- •VIII. - Find the following adjectives and nouns from the text (column a and column b):
- •IX. Fill in the gaps:
- •X. Check how well you remember the text:
- •XI. Give the general idea of the text.
- •XII. Render the text close to its original variant. Unit XIV
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: antropology
- •IX Answer the questions on the text:
- •X. Gap filling:
- •XI. Give the summary of the text.
- •XII. Render the text close to its original variant. Unit XV
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: the "four field" approach
- •III. Match the words with their definitions:
- •IV. Look through these words and expressions and provide their Ukrainian equivalents:
- •X. Give the summary of the text.
- •XI. Render the text close to its original variant.
- •XII. Make a written translation of the text. Entitle and retell it. Put all types of questions covering the plot of the text.
- •Unit XVI
- •I. Look through these words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: archaeology
- •III. Match the words with their definitions:
- •VIII. Questions to be answered:
- •IX. Insert prepositions in the gaps and translate the text:
- •Goals of archaeology
- •X. Give the summary of the text.
- •XI. Render the text using additional information on the issue.
- •Importance and applicability of Archaeology
- •Unit XVII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: history of archaeology
- •III. Look through these words and expressions and provide their Ukrainian equivalents:
- •V. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •VI. Explain the expressions in other words.
- •VII. Look through the text and define the key historical terms of the text.
- •VIII. Say whether these statements correspond to the information of the text:
- •IX. Answer the questions on the text:
- •X. Make up a plan of the text in the form of statements.
- •XI. Give the general idea of this text.
- •XII. Render the text using additional information on the issue.
- •Excavation
- •XIII. Sum up the contents of the texts from units XVI, XVII under discussion. Unit XVIII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text ethnography
- •Ethnohistory
- •III. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •IV. Study the given below lexical units (provide the Ukrainian variant):
- •V. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •VI. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VII. – Find the following adjectives and nouns from the text (column a and column b):
- •VIII. Select endings for the given statements to develop the idea:
- •IX. Explain the expressions in other words:
- •XI. Give extensive answers:
- •XII. Give the summary of the text.
- •XIII. Render the text close to its original variant.
- •XIV. Make a written translation of the text. Retell it. Put all types of questions covering the plot of the text.
- •XV. Give a brief presentation of ethnography, ethnohistory and ethnology and explain difference among them. Unit XIX
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: folkloristics
- •III. Find English equivalents for:
- •IV. Give Ukrainian equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •V. Interpret the following in English:
- •VI. Match the words with their definitions:
- •VII. Choose the facts from the text to characterize:
- •VIII. Answer the fact-finding questions trying not to give a short answer, add some information to develop the idea:
- •IX. Choose the most significant points of the text for you to give the general idea.
- •X. Put the following words in their correct place in the passage below.
- •XI. Read the text to yourself and write the annotation.
- •And ‘Native Faith’ in Contemporary Ukraine”
- •Unit XX
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: museology
- •III. Study the given below lexical units and provide their Ukrainian variant:
- •IV. Find English equivalents for:
- •V. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VI. Contradict the following statements:
- •VII. Answer the following questions:
- •VIII. Divide the text into logical parts and make up an outline of the text.
- •IX. Speak on the major points of the text in accordance with your plan.
- •X. Read the text and make its written translation.
- •XI. You are suggested the following points for discussion:
- •XII. Combine 2 texts and distinguish the main characteristic features of discipline “museum studies”. Unit XXI
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: arhival science
- •III. Find English equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •IV.Arrange the following words in pairs of antonyms:
- •V. Study the given below lexical units and provide their Ukrainian variant:
- •VI. Arrange the following words in pairs of synonyms:
- •VII. Try to explain the following notions connecting with the discipline “Archival studies”. Pay attention to the different meaning of the words “storage” and “preservation”:
- •VIII. Select the endings for the given statements to develop the idea:
- •IX. Check how well you remember the text:
- •X. Divide the text into logical parts and make up an outline of the text.
- •XI. Review the text.
- •XII. Read the text to yourself and write the annotation.
- •XIII. Can you enumerate all the duties and abilities the archivists must have?
- •Unit XXII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: oriental studies
- •III. Find English equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •IV. Look through these words and expressions and provide their Ukrainian equivalents:
- •V. Give the synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VI. Give the antonyms to the underlined words:
- •VII. Explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations in your own words:
- •VIII. Contradict the following statements:
- •IX. Answer the fact-finding questions trying not to give a short answer, add some information to develop the idea:
- •X. Insert necessary words and expressions using those from the box:
- •XI. Give the general idea of this text.
- •XII. Render the text using your plan.
- •XIII. Read the text to yourself and write the annotation: From "Oriental Studies" to "Asian Studies"
- •Unit XXIII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: egyptology
- •III. Find English equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •IV. Look through these words and expressions and provide their Ukrainian equivalents:
- •V. Arrange the following words in pairs of antonyms:
- •VI. Arrange the following words in pairs of synonyms:
- •VII. Explain the following notions, which constitute the range of Ancient Egyptian cultures:
- •VIII. Error correction. Define false statements and give their right versions:
- •IX. Answer the fact-finding questions trying not to give a short answer:
- •X. Present the general idea of the text.
- •XI. Review the text.
- •Some sentences have been extracted from the text and given below. Decide where they suit the best. Assyriology
- •Some expressions are underlined in the text. Try to explain how you understand them. Unit XXIV
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: political history
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IV. Study the given below lexical units and provide their Ukrainian variants:
- •V. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VI. Explain the expressions and sentences in other words:
- •VII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VIII. – Find the following adjectives and nouns from the text (column a and column b):
- •IX. Gap filling. Read through sentences and think about missing information:
- •X. Answer the questions on the text:
- •Unit XXV
- •II. Read and translate the text: universal history
- •VII. Select endings for the given statements to develop the idea:
- •VIII. – Match the historical terms listed up in column a with the definitions provided in column b.
- •IX. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •X. Give extensive answers:
- •XI. Choose the most significant points of the text for you to give the general idea.
- •XII. Render the text close to its original variant. Unit XXVI
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: world history
- •Big history
- •III. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •IV. Find English equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •V. Give Ukrainian equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •VI. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VII. Interpret the following in English:
- •VIII. Find in the text a word or phrase that means:
- •IX. Agree or disagree with the following statements:
- •X. Questions to be answered:
- •Unit XXVII
- •II. Read and translate the text:
- •Intellectual history
- •III. Look through these words and expressions and provide their Ukrainian equivalents:
- •IX. Choose the facts from the text that may help you characterize:
- •X. Answer the fact-finding questions trying not to give a short answer, add some information to develop the idea:
- •Unit XXVIII
- •II. Read and translate the text: cultural history
- •VII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VIII. – Match the terms listed up in column a with the definitions provided in column b.
- •IX. Complete the following statements to develop the idea:
- •X. Scan the gapped sentences and fill in the blanks using the knowledge of the text.
- •XI. Check how well you remember the text:
- •Unit XXIX
- •II. Read and translate the text: cultural heritage
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IV. Study the given below lexical units and provide their Ukrainian variants:
- •V. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VI. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VII. Explain the expressions and sentences in other words:
- •VIII. Select the endings to the given statements to develop the idea:
- •X. Fill in the gaps using the knowledge of the text:
- •XI. Answer the fact-finding questions trying not to give a short answer, add some information to develop the idea:
- •Unit XXX
- •II. Read and translate the text: genealogy
- •III. Find English equivalents for:
- •VIII. Try to explain the words and expressions in other words:
- •IX. Error correction. Define false statements and give their right version:
- •X. Check if you remember the text:
- •XI. Present the general idea of the text.
- •XII. Review the text.
- •XIII. Read the text to yourself and write the annotation. Ethnic group
- •XIV. According to the written information answer the question:
- •Unit XXXI
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text social history
- •Natural history
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IV. Study the given below lexical units and provide their Ukrainian variants:
- •X. Gap filling. Read through the gapped statements. Think about what information might be missing:
- •XI. Answer the following questions:
- •Unit XXXII
- •II. Read and translate the text: futurology
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IV. Study the given below lexical units (provide the Ukrainian variant):
- •V. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VI. Explain the words and expressions in other words (give the Ukrainian translation):
- •VII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VIII. Finish up the statements to develop the idea:
- •X. Answer the fact-finding questions trying not to give a one-word answer:
- •XI. Scan the gapped statements think about missing information:
- •XII. Present the main idea of the text.
- •XIII. Render the text close to its original variant.
- •XIV. Make a written translation of the text. Put all types of questions covering the plot of the text. Retell it.
- •Unit XXXIII
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text: psychohistory
- •III. Study the given below lexical units (provide the Ukrainian variants):
- •IV. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IX. Select the endings to the following statements:
- •X. Questions to be answered:
- •Unit XXXIV
- •II. Read and translate the text:
- •Military history
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IV. Study the given below lexical units (provide the Ukrainian variant):
- •V. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VII. Look through the text and write out the key historical terms.
- •VIII. – Find the following adjectives and nouns from the text:
- •IX. Finish up the statements:
- •X. Give the extensive answers:
- •XI. Present the general idea of the text.
- •XII. Review the text. Unit XXXV
- •I. Look through the words and expressions and learn them:
- •II. Read and translate the text:
- •Military history
- •III. Find English equivalents for the following:
- •IV. Give Ukrainian equivalents of those expressions in the text:
- •V. Give synonyms to the underlined words:
- •VI. Find in the text historical terms that mean:
- •VII. – Find the following adjectives and nouns from the text:
- •VIII. Choose the facts from the text that may help you characterize:
- •IX. Complete the following statements to develop the idea:
- •X. Answer the questions on the text:
- •History in faces Historian
- •Historical analysis
- •Historiography in Antiquity
- •Twentieth-century developments
- •Education and profession
- •In popular culture
- •Herodotus
- •Thucydides
- •Thucydides versus Herodotus
- •Sima Qian
- •Rashid al-Din
- •Ibn Khaldun
- •Dionysius Exiguus
- •Joseph Justus Scaliger
- •Edward Gibbon
- •Leopold von Ranke
- •Lewis Bernstein Namier
- •Geoffrey Elton
- •Vikentij Khvoika
- •Panteleimon Kulish
- •Dmytro Yavornytsky
- •Dmytro Doroshenko
- •Nataliia Polonska-Vasylenko
- •Ivan Krypiakevych
- •Omeljan Pritsak
- •Orest Subtelny
- •Supplementary texts Copper Age
- •Bronze Age
- •Iron Age
- •The History of Ukraine”
- •East Slavs
- •Six ages of the world
- •Way to Wisdom”
- •Iranian Studies
- •Indology
- •Ethnicity and nation
- •Ethno-national conflict
- •Definitions
Sima Qian
Sima Qian (ca. 145–90 BC) (also spelled Sou-ma Ch'ien), was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography because of his highly praised work, Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), an overview of the history of China covering more than two thousand years. His definitive work laid the foundation for later Chinese historiography.
Sima Qian was born, grew up and raised in a family of historiographers. His father served as the Prefect of the Grand Scribes. His main responsibilities were managing the imperial library and calendar. Under the influence of his father Sima Qian was well versed in old writings. He was the student of the famous Confucians. At the age of twenty, with the support of his father, Sima Qian started a journey throughout the country, collecting useful first-hand historical records. The purpose of his journey was to verify the ancient rumors and legends and to visit ancient monuments, including the renowned graves of the ancient sage kings Yu and Shun.
After his travels, he was chosen to be the Palace Attendant in the government whose duties were to inspect different parts of the country. In 110 BC Sima Qian was sent westward on a military expedition against some "barbarian" tribes. That year, his father fell ill. Suspecting his time was running out, he summoned his son back to complete the historical work he had begun. Sima Tan wanted to follow the Annals of Spring and Autumn - the first chronicle in the history of Chinese literature. Fuelled by his father's inspiration, Sima Qian started to compile Shiji in 109 BC. In 105 BC, Sima was among the scholars chosen to reform the calendar. As a senior imperial official, Sima was also in the position to offer counsel to the emperor on general affairs of state.
Although the style and form of Chinese historical writings varied through the ages, Shiji has defined the quality and style from then onwards. Before Sima, histories were written as dynastic history; his idea of a general history affected later historiographers. Historians regard Sima’s work as their model, which stands as the "official format" of the history of China.
In writing Shiji, Sima initiated a new writing style by presenting history in a series of biographies. His work extends over 130 chapters — not in historical sequence, but was divided into particular subjects, including annals, chronicles, treatises — on music, ceremonies, calendars, religion, economics, and extended biographies. Sima's influence on the writing style of histories in other places is also evident in, for example The History of Korea.
Sima's Shiji is respected as a model of biographical literature with high literary value, and still stands as a "textbook" for the study of classical Chinese worldwide. Sima’s writings were influential to Chinese writing, and become a role model for various types of prose within the neo-classical ("renaissance") movement. The great use of characterization and plotting also influenced fictional writing, including the classical short stories of the middle and late medieval period, as well as the vernacular novel of the late imperial period.
The influence is derived from the following key elements of his writing:
Skillful depiction
Sima portrayed many distinguished subjects based on true historical information. He would illustrate the response of the subject by placing him in a sharp contrast or juxtaposition, and then letting his words and deeds speak for him. The use of conversations in his writing also makes the descriptions more vibrant and realistic.
Innovative approach
Sima's new approach in writing involved language which was informal, humorous and full of variations. This was an innovative way of writing at that time and thus it has always been esteemed as the highest achievement of classical Chinese writing; Shiji was regarded as "the first and last great work by historians, poems without rhyme."
Concise language
The style was simple, concise, fluent, and easy-to-read. Sima made his own comments while recounting the historical events. In writing the biographies he avoided making general descriptions, and instead tried to catch the essence of the events. He would portray the subjects concretely, giving the readers vivid images with strong artistic appeal.
Other literary works
Apart from Shiji, Sima had written eight rhapsodies, which are compiled in Hanshu, in which he expressed his suffering and his perseverance in writing Shiji.
Sima and his father were both court astrologers (taishi). At that time, the astrologer had an important role, responsible for interpreting and predicting the course of government according to the influence of the Sun, Moon, and stars, as well as other phenomena like solar eclipses, earthquakes, etc.
Before compiling Shiji, in 104 BC, Sima Qian created Taichuli (which can be translated as 'The first calendar'). Taichuli was one of the most advanced calendars of the time. The creation of Taichuli was regarded as a revolution in the Chinese calendar tradition, as it stated that there were 365.25 days in a year and 29.53 days in a month.
Sima adopted a new method in sorting out the historical data and a new approach to writing historical records to establish the relationship between heavenly law and men. He intended to find out the patterns and principles of the development of human history.
Sima emphasized the role of men in affecting the historical development of China. It is the first time in Chinese history that men were put under the spotlight in the analysis of historical development. He also denounced Emperor, who was superstitious, and prayed to gods extravagantly. In addition, he also proposed his historical perception that a country cannot escape from the fate of the boom-bust cycle. With these in-depth analyses and insight, Sima set an example for writing journalistic articles in later generations.
Unlike Hanshu, which was written under the supervision of the Imperial Dynasty, Shiji was a privately written historiography. Sima refused to write Shiji as an official historiography covering only those of high rank. The work also covers people of the lower classes and is therefore considered a "veritable record" of the darker side of the dynasty.