Word 31 (1895)

In order to remember and follow some advice is necessary to observe four principals:

The first: you should be strong enough to restrain false pride, when you are given advice.

The second: you should accept clever words with your heart, and all you soul as if you were thirsty.

The third: you should repeat sometimes all you’ve listened to keep it in the memory.

The fourth: get away from all the things that exhaust human brain and make it lose valuable qualities.

These things are also four: carelessness and thoughtlessness, bantering, melancholy and addiction to some vice.

• Answer the questions:

1. Do you always follow anybody’s advice?

2. Do you agree to Abai’s principles?

4. What is the most important principle in your opinion?

5. If you don’t agree, give your reason.

Word 14 (1893)

The most precious thing for a human being is his heart. Such conceptions as ‘courage’ and ‘cowardice’ were born from the word ‘heart’. People call a brave man “zhurecti” that means the man with a brave heart; a coward is called “zhureksis”- what means a man without heart.

All best human qualities such as responsiveness, sympathy and humanity- are born by human heart. If your tongue listens to your heart there is no lie, and if a tongue lies, it means that your heart is deceived.

A man with real heart follows advice and he keeps his word, he is able to lead the way even in the most difficult situation, he is ready to admit truth no matter how hard it may be, he will never resign himself to injustice.

So, ‘batyr’ is a courageous and brave man with human heart. I don’t believe people when they say that they committed crime unconsciously. For sure, the reason is their weak will and disregard of one’s honor. I noticed that dzhigits get into trouble when they are called strong dzhigits, brave, strong dzhigits. But it is important to call a real dzhigit a person who lost honour and it isn’t a shame, if he can’t control himself and is mean.

• Answer the questions:

1. What is the most precious thing for human being?

2. How do Kazakh people call a brave man and a coward?

3. How can you explain the word “batyr”?

4. How can explain the word “dzhigit”?

• Write out the words describing a real dzhigit.

• Describe a batyr.

• What does word 14 teach young people?

Mukhtar Auezov (1)

Mukhtar Auezov, a famous writer, playwright and public figure was born in Semey region of Kazakhstan in 1897. His grandfather was a friend of the outstanding Kazakh poet and educator Abai Kunanbaev. He taught the future writer to read from manuscript verses by Abai. Mukhtar Auezov graduated from Semipalatinsk Teacher’s Seminary and in 1929 from Leningrad University.

Auezov published his first work when he was 20. It was the tragedy “Enlik-Kebek”. It became the first performance of the Kazakh Drama theatre, which opened in 1926. The Opera and Ballet Theatre started its work with the play “Aiman-Sholpan” by Auezov in 1934. Auezov wrote over 20 plays, among them are “Abai”, “Karagoz”. He created a lot of short stories and novels.

His best work is the epic novel “Abai’s Path”, which gives a bright panorama of Kazakh life in the second half of the 19th century. This novel had an enormous influence on Kazakh literature and was translated into 30 languages. Kazakh and Kyrgyz films directors screened some of his works. Auezov himself was a prominent translator. He translated works by Tolstoy, Chekhov, Shakespeare, Jack London; and his translations greatly enriched Kazakh literature.

He lived in Almaty for 30 years and died in 1961. In Almaty there is a street, a district, a museum, the Kazakh Drama Theater, the Literature and Art Institute name after him. There are monuments to him at the Kazakh Drama Theatre and near the Opera and Ballet Theatre.

• Read the text and ask your partner the following questions:

1. Where was Auezov born?

2. How did his father teach him to read?

3. Which University did he graduate from?

4. When did the Opera and Ballet Theatre start its work?

5. Which play written by Auezov do you know?

6. Which century life was described in the epic novel “Abai’s Path”?

7. Can you name any characters of the novel “Abai’s Path”?

8. Which foreign writers did Auezov translate?

9. Where and when did he die?

10. Which theater is called after his name?