Almaty (2)

Almaty was once the capital of Kazakhstan but now it remains a capital in our hearts. It stands in the foothills of the Zailiisky Alatau Mountains. Almaty is the city of green parks and crowded avenues, buildings of peculiar architecture and original fountains. There are a lot of museums and cinemas. Theatres and modern hotels are there too.

Almaty is a young city. Contemporary architects are creating the appearance of the city. Ensembles of buildings and new housing blend in with the panorama of the mountains, parks, gardens and streets. If you want to have a look at the city from the top of the mountain, you may use a cableway. Skiing facilities and the ‘Medeo’ alpine skating rink are at your disposal almost all year round. ‘Medeo’ is not only a stadium. It is also snow-capped peaks sparkling in the sun, tall Tien-Shan fir trees, and mountain air coolness.

The city and its environs have harsh continental climate with temperatures varying greatly not only throughout the year but even in the course of a single day. Summer lasts from May to September, with an average temperature of +22° in July. Winter is short with average temperature of – 8° in January. Autumn here is warm and dry; spring comes early, almost overnight, but with recurrent cold spells. There is approximately 600 mm of precipitation annually, about the same as in Moscow. Since the city is located in a broad valley from three sides surrounded by high mountain ranges, windy days are a rarity in the city.

A non-stop flight from Almaty to Moscow lasts 4 hours. There are direct flights from Almaty to St. Petersburg, Irkutsk, Kiev, Khabarovsk and to many other foreign cities and countries. Local time differs three hours from Moscow time and five hours from Central European time.

Almaty has recently become one of the main tourist attractions in the world.

Vocabulary:

to create – создавать

to blend – сочетаться

harsh-continental – резко-континентальный

vary – меняться

average – средний

environs- окрестности

• Answer the questions:

1. Where is Almaty located?

2. What is the city famous for?

3. What is ‘Medeo’?

4. How does the climate vary throughout the year?

5. How much time does it take you to get from Almaty to Moscow?

• Finish the sentences:

1. Almaty was once the capital of Kazakhstan …

2. If you want to have a look at the city…

3. Summer lasts…

4. Since the city is located in…

5. Local time differs…

• Match the parts of the sentences:

1. Almaty is the city of … … takes 4 hours.

2. Skiing facilities and the ‘Medeo’ … peculiar architecture and fountains

alpine skating ring …

3. A non-stop flight from Almaty … are at your disposal almost all year

to Moscow … … round.

4. Green parks, and crowded avenues, … buildings of.

Karaghandy (1)

A grand monument – two figures of miners, holding a lump of coal above their heads – is the symbol of Karaghandy. This stone made the basis of industrial complex here. Karaghandy region provided various parts of the former USSR and more than 50 countries of the world with over two thousand types of products. Karaghandy Metallurgical Complex, known as Kazakhstan Magnitka is the town’s glory. The multistory complexes of the town, the big tops of blast furnaces of Temirtau, a five hundred-kilometre ribbon of the Irtysh- Karaghandy canal are the result of creative work of the builders from this town. The town has got four institutes, a university, different secondary schools, over 50 secondary schools. There is a local Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan branch, a symphony orchestra, folk theatres and playhouses there.

Today the town experiences great difficulties in different spheres of life. The crisis of market economy has lead to stagnation and decrease of the leading industry in the area. For the past few years half of the enterprises in Temirtau and Karaghandy have stood fully or partially idle. The level of unemployment is high; the volume of production went down by 50%. The economic situation has forced the administration of the town to choose new methods of management.

In 1995 the government started to place insolvent enterprises like “Ispad Karmet” under the management of foreign firms. The managing companies have stopped the downfall of production and straightened up the financial position of the enterprises in the area. Another urgent measure was set up by the government to support state-run sector of economy. In 1996 a rehabilitation bank was instituted to effect measures on financial recovery of the industry. These measures have lead to the first signs of stabilization in the region. The volume of production of the plants has begun to grow gradually, the enterprises have started to pay the debts and salaries to the workers. Citizens of Karaghandy believe in the revival of their rich land and hope to overcome today’s difficulties.

• Finish the sentences:

1. Karaghandy Metallurgical Complex is known as ...

2. The crises of market economy ...

3. The level of unemployment is ...

4. Another urgent measure was ...