Food and Economy
Food in Daily Life. With over 80 percent of the population living below the poverty line, food is scarce. A basic breakfast consists of tea and bread. A wealthy family may eat butter and jam and perhaps eggs or porridge. Soup often is served for dinner; it may contain a soup bone with meat, carrots, onions, and potatoes. Osh, a rice dish made with carrots, onions and meat, is served two or three times a week. At other times pasta, meat- and onion-filled pastries, and tomato and cucumber salads may be served. All meals are accompanied with large rounds of flat bread.
Restaurants usually offer Western and Russian food, and choihonas (teahouses) serve traditional foods. Guests often sit on a platform with a low table surrounded by thin mats.
Pork is never eaten. Bread may not be placed upside down; the crumbs are collected and disposed of ceremoniously. Tea is served to the host first to show that it is safe to drink. Islamic law forbids the consumption of alcoholic beverages, but this prohibition often is ignored.
Etiquette
Hospitality, humility, and respect are considered essential for successful interaction in the culture. The elderly are always given the place of honor. A man must never enter a home where there are only women, and a girl must never be left alone with a boy. At large social gatherings, men and women often are separated. Everyone stands when another guest enters. When shaking hands in greeting, it is a demonstration of good manners and respect to place the left hand over the heart and bow slightly.
Bargaining is accepted in the marketplace. Personal space is not respected in either private or public places. When cultural rules are violated, gossip or ostracism may result.
Tajikistan claims ancient poets Omar Khayyám and Alisher Navoi as part of its literary tradition. Firdowsī is appreciated for creating epic poetry as a way to educate the people.
Read more: http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Tajikistan.html#ixzz2xcPBZnLx
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show to Student B)
1) |
What do you know about Tajikistan? |
2) |
What are your impressions of Tajikistan? |
3) |
How important is Tajikistan compared with other nations? |
4) |
What is Tajikistan most commonly in the news for? |
5) |
What is Tajikistan good at? |
6) |
Is Tajikistan a convenient and safe country in which to live? |
7) |
Would you like to go to Tajikistan? |
8) |
What do you know of Tajikistan politics? |
9) |
Who is the most famous Tajikistan? |
10) |
How do you think the people would describe their country? |
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show to Student A)
1) |
What has Tajikistan given the world? |
2) |
What are the first three things that come to mind when you hear the country Tajikistan? |
3) |
What role does Tajikistan play in Central Asia? |
4) |
What are relations like between your country and Tajikistan? |
5) |
Should Tajikistan have a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council? |
6) |
What social problems does Tajikistan have? |
7) |
What would you like to do in Tajikistan on a three-week holiday? |
8) |
What do you think life is like in Tajikistan? |
9) |
What is your image of the typical Tajikistan person? |
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan Republic is one of the four Republics of Central Asia. Uzbekistan is situated between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya,the greatest Asian rivers.
It is the region of flat- lands, mountains and deserts. The territory of the Republic covers 447,4 thousand square kilometers and is larger than Great Britain or Italy. Uzbekistan borders on Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Tajikistan and Turkmenia. In the South Uzbekistan borders on Afghanistan. The Republic consists of 12 regions and the Karakalpak Republic. There are about 80 towns and 86 settlements of urban type here.
The climate is continental. A great number of bright sunny days are good for cotton growing. Uzbekistan is one of the most important producers of cotton and silk. If you look at the map of the Uzbek Republic you will see coal, oil and natural gas re sources, deposits of marble, non-ferrous and other metals including gold.
According to the last data the population of Uzbekistan is 20 million people. About 120 nations and nationalities live on its territory. Uzbeks represent more than 70% (per cent) of the whole population. Titanic work to develop all sectors of the economy, of industry in particular, has been done in Uzbekistan. Once there was no industry there; today the Republic has more than 100 industries. Now planes, tractors, cotton harvesters, technical equipment for the textile and chemical industries are being manufactured in Uzbekistan .