Markakol zapovednik

• Pre-reading task:

1. Explain the meaning of the word “zapovednik”.

2. What zapovedniks of our country do you know?

In the serene* summertime, Lake Markakol resembles a precious* blue aquamarine set in a golden-green mountain chain* - a real treasure of rare beauty. The purity* of its water reminds Lake Baikal of long ago. Twenty-seven rivers flow* into Lake Markakol, and only one – the Kuldzhir river – flows out of it. Thirty-eight kilometers long, up to 19 kilometers wide, and 27 meters deep, the lake lies in a canyon framed* with the Kurchum mountain range in the north and the Azutau range in the south. Its water is fresh and soft, caressed* by wonderful taiga mountain air.

The Zapovednik – protected natural reserve* - was established in this unique area in 1976. The goals of the Zapovednik are to keep the picturesque landscape in its natural state as a standard of the Altai nature, to study its flora and fauna and increase the population of uskuch fish.

Deciduous* forests and conifers* at places cover the picturesque rocky ledges* of the mountains. Nineteen kinds of trees grow in the ravines*, close to the rivers, including rowan* trees, Siberian pine* trees, birches*, asps*, poplars*, and willows*. Shrubbery is also abundant: meadow-sweet*, bird-cherry tree*, honeysuckle*, sweetbrier*, buckthorn*, raspberry, black and red currants*.

Many species of flowers, medicinal plants such as the golden root, grow in the sub-Alpine grasslands* of the Zapovednik. Various fragrant grasses and mellifluous herbs* create favorable conditions for bee-keeping*.

The Zapovednik’s fauna is abundant* and varied. The lake’s main treasure is fish: lenok or uskuch of the salmon variety. Their weight reaches three and sometimes eight kilogrammes. Such a species of fish is a rarity elsewhere today. Feathered species in the Zapovednik include falcon*, silvery gull*, snipe*, partridge*, hazel-grouse*, black-grouse*, wood-grouse*, and ducks. Mammals include the brown bear, the fox, the Siberian stag, the hare, the lynx*, the squirrel, the wolverine*, the roe*, the sable, the marmot*, the ermine*, and others. The snow leopard, the red wolf, the marten*, and the black stork* are some of the Red book species living in the area. The Zapovednik creates conditions favorable to an increase* of many species.

Vocabulary:

Serene – ясный, безмятежный Precious - драгоценный Mountain chain – горная цепь Purity - чистота Flow - течь Bordered - ограниченный Caress – гладить, ласкать Reserve – заповедник Birch - береза Asp - осина Poplar – тополь Willow – ива Grassland – пастбище Mellifluous herbs – медоносные травы

Deciduous - лиственный (лес) Conifers – хвойный (лес) Ledge – выступ, край Ravines – ущелья, лощины Rowan - рябина Pine – сосна Meadow-sweet - таволга Honeysuckle - жимолость Bee-keeping - пчеловодство Falcon - сокол Snipe - бекас Partridge – серая куропатка Hazel-grouse - рябчик

Wolverine - росомаха Roe - косуля Sable - соболь Marmot - сурок Ermine - горностай Marten - куница Black stork – черный аист Sweetbrier - роза эглантерия Buckthorn - крушина Currant – смородина Grouse - шотландская куропатка Wood-grouse – тетерев-глухарь Lynx - рысь

• Find the English equivalents for:

1. Озеро похоже на драгоценный голубой аквамарин

2. Зелено-золотой горный хребет

3. Сохранить живописный ландшафт

4. Увеличить популяцию

5. Лиственные и хвойные леса

6. Медоносные травы

7. Подходящие условия для разведения пчел

8. Главное сокровище озера

• Make up questions (at least 5) to the text.

• Divide the following words into two columns:

PLANTS	ANIMALS
willow

Lynx, buckhorn, willow, wood-grouse, mellifluous herbs, roe, asp, falcon, ermine, sable, marten, sweetbrier, hazel-grouse, birch, partridge, bird-cherry tree, black stork, poplar, rowan, pine, marmot.