Exercises:

1. Translate the following words into Russian:

Meadow, viper, exotic, reptile, amphibians, exceptional, describe, geographic, size, diversity, value, spirit, identity, feature, majestic, elusive, icon, depict, warrior, charismatic, harsh, desert, emblematic, esteem, local, folklore, nomadic, lifestyle, keystone, cover, two-thirds, perfectly, adapt, unpredictable, condition, region, distinctive, oversize, flexible, filter, occur, dusty, arid, plain, spectacle, rival, mass, ungulate, middle, last, herd, predator, wild, cheetah, management, decimate, intervention, government, grazer, wealth, herbivor, ass, camel, horse, domesticated, component, rural, recover, ground, disturbance, recycling, nutrient, seed, marmot, souslik, hamster, gerbil, jerboa, rodent, dormouse, comb-toed.

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following word combinations:

The meadow viper, exotic reptiles, exceptional numbers of invertebrates, new species, geographic size and diversity, cultural value, national flag, majestic golden eagle, beautiful and elusive snow leopard, equally iconic golden warrior of Almaty, charismatic saiga, harsh desert, local culture and folklore, traditional nomadic lifestyle, two-thirds of Kazakhstan, perfectly adapted to the harsh, unpredictable conditions of the region, distinctive oversized and flexible nose, ungulate migrations of East Africa, high levels of illegal poaching, wild ass, semi-desert ecosystems, several rodent species, desert dormouse and comb-toed jerboa.

3. Put special questions to the following sentences.

1. Many of these species have cultural value, forming part of the spirit and identity of Kazakhstan. 2.The beautiful and elusive snow leopard is considered a national icon, often depicted supporting the equally iconic golden warrior of Almaty. 3.The saiga is the keystone species of the steppe and deserts that cover almost two-thirds of Kazakhstan. 4.Until the middle of the last century these herds were accompanied by predators including wolf and wild dog, Asiatic cheetah and Caspian tiger. 5.Marmots, sousliks, hamsters, gerbils and jerboas are common, and several rodent species are only found here, such as the desert dormouse and comb-toed jerboa.

4. Retell the text

Text 16: Birds and Beasts of mountain and steppe

(continuation)

Corsac fox, honey badger, sand caracal and Pallas's cat are typical semi-arid carnivores found in the region, although many of these are sadly in decline. The steppe (its grasslands and water bodies) is also home to many exciting bird species, from raptors such as the saker falcon to sociable plover, black-winged pratincole, demoiselle crane, black lark, the rare saxaul jay and the desert sparrow. Reptile diversity is also very high, including many species of snake, gecko and toad agama—some only found here, such as the grey monitor specific to the Kyzylkum Desert. Large rivers, such as the Syr Darya, cut across the dry plains, feeding numerous lakes and wetlands, the shady tree-lined riverine galleries (tugaf) providing refuge to vast arrays of animals. Birds such as white-headed duck and marbled teal, relict and brown-headed gulls, ruff and a multitude of other waders, Dalmatian pelicans and bitterns either nest in these havens or use them as staging posts on their annual migrations. More than 150 bird species migrate through this region, many of which are rare or endangered.

B ats are plentiful, as are rodents such as flattooth rat and tamarix gerbil. Wild boar, Bukhara deer and goitred gazelle use the tugai for shelter from the steppe; hyena, jungle cat and jackal hunt in the forest glades. Amphibians are common with grey, green and Central Asian toads and Anatolian, lake, grass, Siberian and black-spotted frogs all present. Reptiles are well represented too, with geckos, skinks and snakes either resident or wintering in river cliffs or wooded areas away from the harsher open landscapes.

The rivers are fed by the snows and glaciers of the two magnificent mountain ranges that border Kazakhstan, the Tien Shan in the south and southeast and the Altai Mountains in the northeast. Both isolated regions are home to many rare and special species. The most charismatic species of the higher altitudes is the snow leopard. Solitary, shy and well camouflaged, this exquisite creature is very rarely seen. It is well adapted to the cold, harsh landscape, protected from the snow and the cold by thick, smoky-grey fur. Sure-footed and silent, snow leopards are capable of leaping 10 metres and taking prey three times their own bodyweight. Although not aggressive to humans, they continue to suffer by our hand, so that now no more than 100 survive in Kazakhstan.

A mixed suite of other predators can be found from Altai ferret, wolverines and jungle cat to wolf and lynx. The red bear, an increasingly rare

subspecies of brown bear, can still be found in the Tien Shan. Arkhar sheep and maral deer graze the middle elevations, whilst on the higher rocky slopes ibex and argali can be found. On the northern slopes of the Altai, reindeer herds from Siberia graze across the tundra slopes. Rodents are again plentiful in number 1 and diversity, with birch mouse, voles and Я8и£»й shrews abundant in the foothills and arctic ground chipmunk in the alpine environments.

T he lammergeyer, the bone-breaker vulture, rules over these peaks, sharing the skies with Eurasian and Himalayan griffon vultures, golden and steppe eagles, buzzards, eagle owls and peregrine falcons. Alpine choughs tumble above the rock faces. Finches, buntings and redstarts fill the woody valleys with their varied calls whilst the forests are home to game birds like the rare snowcock and hazel grouse. A rare resident of the relic mountain coniferous forests is the Central Asian salamander, found only in the headwaters of small mountain streams in the alpine forest-meadows.