I. Answer the questions:

1. When was Lesya Ukrainka born?

2. Why her literary name was Lesya Ukrainka?

3. Who were her parents?

4. What languages did Lesya Ukrainka know?

5. When did she write her first poem?

6. What is the main idea of her poetic masterpiece “Sylvan Song”?

7. At what age did Lesya Ukrainka die?

ІI. Say what statements are false and what are true; correct the false ones:

1. Lesya Ukrainka’s father was a writer.

2. At the age of ten Lesya wrote her first poem.

3. Lesya Ukrainka knew seven foreign languages.

4. Her favourite poet was Taras Shevchenko.

5. “The Sylvan Song” is a poetic masterpiece of Lesya Ukrainka.

6. In 1893-1907 her book of poems “On the Wings of Songs”, the poem “Old Tale” and drama “Iphigenia in Tauris” were published.

7. “Stone Host was written in 1912.

III. Fill in the gaps with the words and word-combinations from the text:

1. Lesya’s mother was a writer known by the ………… ……….. Olena Pchilka.

2. From her childhood Lesya heard different …………………. about Ukrainian history and literature.

3. At the age of 4 Lesya learned …………….. and at 9 she wrote her first poem “Hope”.

4. In spite of operation her ………………. progressed, tuberculosis affected her arm.

5. The peak of her …………. ………….. was the “Sylvan Song”.

Christmas in ukraine

Traditions in Ukraine are interesting and unique, they are versatile and widespread. Traditions are like the heart of nation’s culture. They determine the way people live, the languages they speak, the religions they follow, the values they hold, the relationships they keep, the foods they eat, the clothes they wear, the building they have made and much more.

Christmas (in Ukrainian - Rizdvo) - has much older tradition that the Christianity, and the customs and traditions of Christmas we have now - that is the compromise between Christianity and heathenism. From the very old times in Ukraine this day is symbolic as a day of magic and welfare, happiness, peace and stability. In Ukraine we celebrate Christmas in Orthodox tradition - so we have it on the 7th of January. And till that time it is Lenten time. During all the day it is not allowed to eat anything - everybody waits till the evening. And when the first star appears on the sky the whole family sits at the Christmas table to have the Holy Supper. The Holy Evening has rich but Lenten supper and in this way the mistress of the house tries somehow to make a report to the New Year about what has been done in the year that passed. For the Holy supper there should be 12 Lenten dishes - they symbolize 12 month of the year, or 12 apostles of the Jesus. Among them uzwar (the drink that is made out of dried fruits), varenyky (boiled dough in a form of half-moon with different filling), mushrooms, beans, fish, boiled potato, and some other dishes.

The main dish of Christmas time is Kutya. It comprises of boiled wheat, raisins, nuts, poppy-seeds, prunes, and honey. That is the first dish that should be eaten on the Christmas Eve when all the family gathers at the table and also on the other holidays of the Christmas time. On the table under the table-cloth at for corners there people lay cloves of garlic to protect themselves from the evil forces. Except the plates for the members of the family there should be a plate for the spirits of the ancestors, where people lay all the food they eat. An integral part of Christmas decorations are the candle and Didukh - the magic tree that is made of wheat ears and of some other crops. Firstly - it symbolizes the spirits of the predecessors (in Ukrainian Did - means grandfather, Dukh - spirit), and secondly it is a symbol of welfare and good crops in the previous year. The Holy supper - that is the supper of the whole family - even dead or missing members - they have to be together at this time. You even have to blow on your chair before sitting at the table not to sit down on some spirit. After the Supper people, primarily children go from house to house singing Christmas carols - Kolyadky) and wishing all the best to the mistress and master of the house. They make groups of several people that redress into Bible and folk characters and make short performances that tell the Story of Jesus birth - it is called Vertep. It is usual that even unfamiliar people can come to sing Christmas carols for you. We have special greeting on Christmas: Christ is Born – Glorify Him! After Christmas Ukrainians have two more important and very interesting celebrations: they are the Old New Year - so called Shchedryi Vechir (13th of January), and Vodohreshcha (the christening of the water - 19th of January). As Ukraine lives according the so called religious old style (reform introduced by the Tsar Peter I and that should be changed) we have one more New Year according to this old style. At this Old New Year Eve Ukrainians have Generous Evening. This time the family once again comes together but the dishes on the table are not Lenten any more. At this time only girls are allowed to sing the special songs that are called Shchedrivky.  And the last time in winter when the family has to be together to glorify the Christ - is on the eve before 19th of January. The whole family tries to be together once again and to eat Kutya for the third time. In the morning they go to the church to christen the water. This water will protect from all the evil that is around, and what is much more interesting that this water will be like a fresh one during all the year.