The emblem

TRYZUB, the trident, and golden yellow and blue flag are the national

symbols of Ukraine. Their appearance in the sovereign Ukrainian state was not accidental. Their roots trace back thousands of years. Even in the pre-Christian times the trident was revered as a magic sign, a protective charm. As a heraldic symbol it first appeared on the coins minted under Prince Volodymyr Svyatoslavovich. The oldest archaeological findings of the Trident (“Tryzub”) on the Ukrainian lands take their origin into the first century A.D. It might be a symbol or a sign of power of the tribe which lived there.

The depiction of the Trident belonged to the edge of the X^th – XI^th

centuries. It perhaps was a symbol of Prince’s power in Kyiv Rus. The trident remained on the gold and silver coins of Volodymyr the Great (980 – 1015). The golden-blue combination is also a very old tradition.

On August 24, 1991 Ukraine was proclaimed an independent democratic state at the Extraordinary Session of the Ukrainian Supreme Council. It was necessary to create true symbols of the young state. On February 19, 1992 after long and heated debates at the session of the Supreme Council the Golden Trident on the Blue Pentagon Shield was confirmed as the “small emblem” and the key element of the “big emblem” of Ukraine. The state stamp with the Trident’s depiction was confirmed too.

1. Listen to the text “The Emblem”.

2. Give its main idea in few words.

3. Answer the questions to the text.

1. What are the state emblems of Ukraine?

2. Was their appearance accidental?

3. How old are they?

4. In what way was the trident revered in the pre-Christian time?

5. When did it appear first as a heraldic symbol?

6. Is the golden-blue combination a very old tradition?

7. Did the trident become a sign of Prince’s power in Kyiv Rus?

8. Did Volodymyr the Great mint coins with trident depiction on them?

9. When did these signs become the state emblems in modern Ukraine?

4. Retell the text.

2. Text I

Ukraine – our native land

A new independent state of Ukraine appeared on the world political map in 1991. It has its own territory, state flag and anthem. Its capital is Kyiv – one of the most beautiful and ancient cities in Europe. State power in Ukraine is divided into three branches: legislative (Supreme Council), executive (Government) and judicial (Courts of Law). The head of the state is the President.

Ukraine lies in south-eastern Europe. It is the second largest country there. Only Russia, its neighbor to the east, is bigger.

Ukraine occupies an area of 603,700 km2 which is divided into 24 administrative regions and the Crimean autonomous republic. The country borders on Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania.

The population of Ukraine is 48 ml people. It comprises Ukrainians, Russians, Jews, Byelorussians, Moldavians, Poles and other nations and nationalities

95% of the Ukrainian area is flat and the rest of it is mountainous. The Ukrainian Carpathians and the Crimean Mountains make up those 5% of its area. Ukraine is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The major rivers are the Dnieper, the Dniester, the Bug, the Donets and others.

The climate of Ukraine is temperately continental, akin to subtropical on the south Crimean coast.

Historically two factors determined the development of Ukrainian lands:

• Remarkably convenient geographic location on the crossroads of international trade routes; and,

• The presence of fertile black soils. Ukraine boasts approximately a quarter of the globe’s black topsoil.

Ukraine is also rich in minerals and has large deposits of coal, manganese, and natural gas.

Ukraine is a major producer of iron and steel, machines, ships, chemical fertilizers, grain, sugar beet, dairy products, meat, and wine.

N ature has been generous to Ukraine: history has not. Because of its natural riches and accessibility from ancient past to most times, Ukraine has experienced devastating foreign invasions and conquests. Consequently, foreign domination and struggle against it is a paramount theme in its history.

During the A.D. 800s, Kyiv became the centre of a Slavic state called Kyivan Rus. In the 1300s, most of Ukraine came under the Polish and Lithuanian rule. Ukrainian soldiers called Cossacks freed Ukraine from the Polish rule in 1648. In the late I700s, nearly all Ukraine came under Russian control.

I n 1991 after the USSR collapse Ukraine declared its political independence and afterwards joined the Commonwealth of Independent States, a loose association of former Soviet republics.

The rich Ukrainian culture has its roots in old traditions of open-heartedness, hospitality and poetic spirit. This culture has made a weighty contribution into the treasure trove of world creative talent.

Physical culture and sports have come into life of Ukrainian people. There are splendid natural conditions to make it possible to cultivate both winter and summer sports here. Many residents of Ukraine go in for various sports. We can be proud of such remarkable Ukrainian athletes as Valery Borzov, Serhiy Bubka, Oleg Blokhin, Vitaly and Volodymyr Klychko, Yana Klochkova and others, whose names are well known all over the world

4.1. Listen to the text “Ukraine –Our Native Land”.

4.2. Read and translate the text.

4.3. Find English equivalents in the text for the following:

Добре відомий в усьому світі, житель; чудові природні умови; увійшли в життя українського народу; давати можливість; розвивати/культивувати; прекрасні спортсмени; як … так; зробити великий внесок, йти корінням зі старовинних традицій; скарбниця; пишатися; щиросердність; проголошувати; поетичний духовний початок; незалежність; гостинність; світова творчість; приєднуватися; СНД; бувший; вільна асоціація; перейти під правління; визволяти; щедрий; майже вся Україна; головна тема; боротьба; залежі; бути багатим на що-небудь; іноземне володарювання; зерно; випробовувати/підлягати спустошувальним іноземним набігам та завоюваниям; марганець; доступність; отже; вино; значний виробник; перехрестя; сталь; мінеральні добрива; м’ясо, механізми; сусід; цукровий буряк; молочні продукти; місцезнаходження /розташування; помірно континентальний; наявність; плодородний; чорнозем; приблизно; вугілля; шар ґрунту для ріллі; торгові шляхи; бути щасливим володарем будь-чого; омивати; судовий; законодавча гілка влади; виконавчий; схожий; узбережжя; визначати; гімн; охоплювати площу; включати /охоплювати; межувати; нерельєфний\плаский; інший; суд, що діє за нормами статутного та загального права; ділитися на; лежати; гористий; Верховна Рада, стародавній.

4.4. Answer the questions to the text.

1. When did Ukraine become a sovereign state? 2. Does it have its own territory, flag and anthem? 3. How large is its area? 4. Please describe its state flag. 5. Do you know its anthem? Recite it, please. 6. What branches is the state power in Ukraine divided into? 7. Who is the head of the state? Name him\her, please. 8. In what part of Europe does Ukraine lie in? Find it on a geographic map and show. 9. Is it bigger than its neighbor Russia? 10. What is the administrative division of Ukraine? 11. What countries does Ukraine border on? 12. How many people inhabit the lands of Ukraine? 13. Is the area of Ukraine flat or mountainous? 14. Which of the Ukrainian mountains are higher: the Carpathians or the Crimean Mountains? 15. What seas wash the coasts of Ukraine? 16. Are there any rivers in Ukraine? Name them, please. 17. Please give a definition of the Ukrainian climate. 18. What factors determine the development of Ukraine? 19. Ukraine is also rich in minerals, isn’t it? 20. What products does Ukraine mainly produce? 21. Why has Ukraine experienced devastating foreign invasions and conquests? 22. When was Kyivan Rus one of the mightiest states of the ancient past? 23. What does the CIS mean? 24. What kind of culture does Ukraine possess? 25. What role does sport play in Ukraine? 26. What prominent Ukrainian athletes do you know?

4.5. Insert prepositions if necessary.