Word Combinations

Exercise 5.

• Translate into Ukrainian the following word combinations (A+N and N+N type):

health insurance, social welfare (соціальний захист) system, folk music, cultural symbols, social groups, natural landscape, mutual mistrust, folklore tradition, abstract matters, enemy raids, local population

• Translate into English:

історичні обставини, героїчні вчинки, економічна криза, культурне життя, місцеве населення, патріархальне суспільство

• Transform the following word combinations.

Examples: an adult (дорослий) show  a show for adults; a history book  a book about history.

family issues, cultural heritage, the Iron Age tribes, health care insurance, the American mentality

Grammar

The – ing Forms

Basic Patterns:

Being a Cossack was a great honour. Бути козаком було дуже почесно.

Without stopping to think rationally, Ukrainian gives great priority to showing emotions and feelings. Не припиняючи думати раціонально, українець віддає перевагу демонструванню емоцій і почуттів.

He is used to relying only on himself. Він звик покладатися тільки на себе.

Exercise 6.

• Learn the basic patterns by heart. Explain the use of the –ing forms in each pattern.

• Translate the following sentences into Ukrainian. Explain why you think your translation is correct:

Following the tradition a woman often dominates in a Ukrainian family.

He ruled following his own interests.

Attempting to build strong and close relationship, Ukrainian gives great priority to his family.

• Translate into English:

Допомагати родичам - це характерно для українця.

Не люблю чекати.

Довіряти власній владі – це не характерно для українця.

Exercise 7.

• Re-read the vocabulary and try to guess what the text is going to be about.

• How do you interpret the title of the text?

Exercise 8.

• Look through Text A. Do you still remember the meaning of the words society, custom from the previous lesson?

Text a. Ukrainian Mentality

Mentality is the manner of thinking, especially the attitude toward life, society, etc.

Mentality of the Ukrainian people had been formed under the influence of complex historical circumstances (обставини) with the principal role played by the country’s ‘bordering’, because its territory is located on the intersection of historical routes from the East to the West and from the North to the South. This is why Ukrainian mentality combines many traits (характерні риси) of the Western outlook (active, rationalistic, and individualistic) with those of the East (passively waiting and directed at abstract matters). Without stopping to think rationally, Ukrainian gives great priority to showing emotions and feelings, sometimes even seen as sentimental or even too lyrical.

Ukrainian is tied very much to his family where he attempts to build strong and very close relationship. To care is characteristic for his mentality. As a rule, Ukrainians give support to their children until they reach maturity (зрілий вік), and often also from then on. Such relationship is also defined by the historical past: wars practically never stopped on the territory located on the crossroads of the Western and Eastern worlds. The land suffered from enemy raids, and it was dangerous to live here: those in power changed often, and to survive was only possible within the circle of close relations.

For quite a long time the society was divided into those who fed (peasantry) this land and those who defended it (Cossacks). This resulted in two almost opposite forms of consciousness (свідомість). The first is of a brave defender and fighter, adventurous and capable of impulsive and heroic actions. As such they appear in the Shevchenko’s Kobzar and are depicted by the Ukrainian and Polish romanticists.

The other type of consciousness was marked by moderateness and patience that made it possible to “to wait through” (перечекати) the numerous misfortunes of the historical fate. Hard work, hospitality, and education are very important to the Ukrainian people. They became used to (звикли) relying only on themselves rather than hoping for help or protection from the state. As a rule, Ukrainians do not trust and do not like their ‘authorities’ (влада).

For more than a thousand years Ukrainians didn't have their own state and therefore their own authorities. And this is true. During the times of Kyivan Rus (9th - 12th centuries A.D.) the Rurikovichs were at power - strangers, Varangians. During the next centuries there were Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, Austrians and Germans. For Ukrainians they were all strangers, as people called them "zaidy" (in Ukrainian - "the ones who stopped by"), that is, those who came from strange lands. Of course, none of those strangers expressed the interests of the Ukrainian people - those strangers ruled following their own political, economic and social interests, looking at the local population and its culture with contempt.

For a Ukrainian family the dominating role of a woman, especially of a mother, is a tradition. When husband died, the wife became the head of a family even if remarried. Ukrainian woman participated in all the family issues (справи) during her husband’s life as well. In ancient times, during the patriarchal society in Europe a Ukrainian girl could choose a husband herself.

Characteristic of Ukrainian ethnic culture are the beliefs in the fantastic and supernatural. With the introduction of Christianity, these beliefs were forced out to the sphere of folklore tradition (that is, poetry, fairy tales, legends, etc.).

Exercise 9.

• Look through Text A and find the sentences in which the Gerund is used. Translate and write them down.

• Say why it is correct to say:

Combining many traits of the Western outlook (active, rationalistic, and individualistic) with those of the East (passively waiting and directed at abstract matters) Ukrainian mentality is unique.

Exercise 10.

• Look through the text and find the English equivalents for:

віра у фантастичне та надприроднє, бути при владі, інший тип свідомості, героїчний вчинок, був поділен на, підтримувати своїх дітей, відношення до життя, це призвело до

• Suggest the Ukrainian equivalents for:

for quite a long time, characteristic of Ukrainian ethnic culture, be forced out to the sphere of folklore tradition, to become used to, be marked by, be located on the intersection, to become the head of a family

Exercise 11.

• Complete the sentences using your knowledge or imagination:

Mentality of the Ukrainian people is unique because …

Ukrainians do not trust and do not like their ‘authorities’ because …

Two almost opposite forms of consciousness is a result of …

Exercise 12.

• Read the text and find arguments to prove that:

a) Mentality of the Ukrainian people had been formed under the influence of complex historical circumstances.

b) For more than a thousand years Ukrainians didn't have their own state and therefore their own authorities.

• Use the material of the text to answer the following question:

Why do the Ukrainians not trust and not like their ‘authorities’?

• Read the text again and find sentences describing:

a) a typical Ukrainian;

b) a role of a Ukrainian woman in a family.

• Find the places in the text to support the following statement (висловлювання):

Family is very important to Ukrainian.

Exercise 13.

• Agree or disagree with the following statement. Explain your choice.

Mentality of a people is formed historically.