Kazakhstan is my homeland

Exercise I. Read the following words, pay attention to their pronunciation

Vocabulary:

To be situated- располагаться

The official name-официальное название

Population-население

To consist of-состоять из

To become a part-стать частью

To declare-объявлять

Independence-независимость

To be a head-быть главой

A state-государство

To appoint-назначать

An upper house-верхняя палата

To vote-голосовать

To be divided into-делиться на

Cities for purposes of local government-города местного правления

Representative-представитель

To live happily-жить счастливо

Total area-общая площадь

Desert-пустыня

Gentle-легкий

Rolling hills-скатывающие холмы

Steppe-степь

Flat-ровный

Elevated-поднятый, приподнятый

To be suitable for farming-подходящий для фермерства

Range-цепь

To include-включать

To cover all extreme-охватывать все предельные температуры

To vary-варьироваться

Marmot-сурок

Tortoise-черепаха

Squirrel-белка

Rodent-грызун

To inhabit-населять, обитать

Lynx-рысь

Exercise II. Read and translate the text.

This country is situated in western-central Asia. The official name of the country is the Republic of Kazakhstan, or simply Kazakhstan. The population of this country mainly consists of Kazakhs and Russians. Astana is the capital of the country.

Kazakhstan became a part of the Soviet Union in 1922 and in 1991 it declared its independence from the USSR.

Kazakhstan is a country with a strong president. The president is the head of the state. He appoints a prime minister to head the government and a cabinet. The parliament consists of an upper house called the Senate and a lower house called the Mazhilis. The Senate has 47 members and the Mazhilis has one hundred and seven members. All citizens who are 18 years old or older may vote. Kazakhstan is divided into 14 oblasts or provinces and two cities for purposes of local government.

The population of Kazakhstan is 17 million people. Now representatives of more than 120 nationalities live happily in the country.

The total area of Kazakhstan is 2,7 million square kilometers. There are tall mountains, flat fields, forests, deserts and gentle rolling hills in Kazakhstan. Steppes cover large areas of northern Kazakhstan. Sandy deserts extend over much of the South. The northeastern part of the country consists of flat, highly elevated lands that are suitable for farming. Mountain ranges include the Tian Shan and the Altai Mountains. The highest mountain is Mount Tengry. It rises 6,398 meters. Lake Balkhash is the largest lake within Kazakhstan. Major rivers include the Ile, the Irtysh, the Syr Darya and the Ural.

The climate covers all extremes. Winters are bitterly cold and summers are hot.

Animal life in Kazakhstan varies between the steppes and the desert. Larks, eagles, marmots, tortoises, and squirrels live in the steppes. Gazelles and a variety of rodents and reptiles inhabit the desert. Snow leopards and lynxes live in the mountains.

Exercise III. Find the words which represent the 1^st type of syllable

Exercise IV. Find the words which represent the 2^nd type of syllable

Exercise V. Find the words which represent the 3d type of syllable

Exercise VI. Find the words which represent the 4^th type of syllable

Exercise VII. Find the letter combinations which we have already studied

Exercise VIII. Answer the questions:

1. Where is the country situated?

2. What can you tell about the political system of Kazakhstan?

3. Which climatic and nature zones does the country occupy?