Here are some final tips for travellers

• In France you shouldn’t sit down in a cafe until you’ve shaken hands with everyone you know.

• In Afghanistan you should spend at least five minutes saying hello.

• In Pakistan you mustn’t wink. It is offensive.

• In the Middle East you must never use the left hand for greeting, eating, drinking, or smoking. Also, you should take care not to admire anything in your hosts’ home. They will feel that they have to give it to you.

• In Russia you must match your hosts drink for drink or they will think you are unfriendly.

• In Thailand you should clasp your hands together and lower your head and your eyes when you greet someone.

• In America you should eat your hamburger with both hands and as quickly as possible. You shouldn’t try to have a conversation until it is eaten.

Unit 3. Ukraine in European Educational Environment

Active Vocabulary of the Unit:

government, to border on, area, capital, mountain, fertile, black soil, agricultural, to be rich in, to be subdivided, equipment, instrument, consumer goods, legislative, executive, judicial; nursery school, primary education, secondary education, higher education, curriculum, vocational education, to graduate from, post-graduate, higher educational establishment, compulsory, fee, applicant, alumnus, extramural department, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctor’s degree; employee, in the field of, enterprise, development, research work.

Lesson 13. Ukraine

13.1. Розмовна тема. Україна

Active Vocabulary:

government – уряд; anthem – гімн; to border on – межувати з; total area – загальна площа; mountain – гора; tributary – приток; moderate – помірний; fertile – родючий; black soil – чорнозем, agricultural – сільсько-господарський; to be rich in – бути багатим; equipment – устаткування; instrument – прилад; consumer goods – споживчі товари; legislative – законодавчий; executive – виконавчий; judicial – судовий; to be elected – бути обраним.

Ukraine is situated in the south-eastern part of Central Europe and has its own territory, government, national emblem, flag and anthem. It borders on Russia, Byelorussia, Moldova, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Poland on land and Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey on sea. The population of Ukraine is over 47 million. The total area of the country is 603,700 km²(45^th country in size). The capital of Ukraine is Kiev.

The territory of Ukraine is mostly a level, treeless plain, called “steppe”. There are the Crimean Mountains in the Crimean peninsula and the Carpathians in the west, but they are not very high. The territory of our country has an astonishing variety of landscapes. We have high mountains, vast steppes, endless forests, beautiful rivers and lakes. The largest lake of Ukraine is Swytyaz, its total area is 24.2 square kilometres and the depth is 58.5 metres. Ukraine has 131 rivers, among them are the Dnieper with its tributaries such as the Desna, the Prypyat, the Dniester, the Bug, the Donets. The flora and fauna of our country are extremely rich. Almost all kinds of European animals and birds can be found on the territory of our vast land. Ukraine has inexhaustible natural wealth. It possesses enormous tracts of woodland, vast tracts of fertile arable lands and fine pastures.

The climate of the country is moderate. Winter is rather mild, with no severe frosts but with regular snowfalls everywhere except the south. The rivers and lakes freeze in winter. The average winter temperature varies from -20 Centigrade in the north to -5 in the south. Summer is quite hot and dry, with occasional showers and thunderstorms. The fertile black soil is well watered in spring and autumn and gets plenty of sunshine in summer.

The country is rich in natural resources, such as iron ore, coal, colour metals, oil, gas, mineral salts, clay and potential water power. It has developed a varied industry, concentrated mostly in and around such big cities as Kiev, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, Dnyeprodzerzhinsk, Odessa, Kharkov, Lviv, Nickolayev and others. It produces planes and ships, lorries and busses, motorcars and locomotives, computer and electronic equipment, precision instruments and agricultural machines, TV and radio sets, chemicals and textiles and various consumer goods. Odessa, Sebastopol, Nickolayev, Kherson and Kerch are main Ukrainian ports.

Due to the favorable climatic conditions, Ukraine is traditionally an agricultural area. It grows wheat, maize, buckwheat and other corn, red and green vegetables, all kinds of fruit, melons and berries. Ukraine is one of the world’s main centers of sugar production. It produces sugar both for its own needs and for export.

Ukraine is a presidential-parliamentary democracy with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Declaration of Ukrainian Independence was proclaimed on August 24, 1991 by the Ukrainian Parliament. The President of Ukraine is elected by countrywide popular vote and is the head of the executive branch. The Prime Minister is appointed by the 450-seat parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. The parliament also approves the Cabinet of Ministers, offered by the Prime Minister and the President. The heads of all central agencies and regional and district administrations are appointed by the President.

Ukraine is subdivided into twenty-four oblasts (provinces) and one autonomous republic, the Crimea. Additionally, two cities, Kiev and Sebastopol, have a special legal status.

Ukraine has its own original culture and art. Ukraine has many professional theatres and Philharmonic societies. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, the Gryhory Veryovka Ukrainian People’s Choir, the Dance Com­pany of Ukraine are known not only in the country but all over the world.

Запам’ятайте зразки виразів для розповіді про країну.

U. is situated in ___; U. ___ is washed by ___; U. ___ borders on ___; the total area of U. is ___; the population of U. is ___; the capital of U. is ___; the main rivers are ___; the climate is mostly ___; U. is rich in ___; the main industrial centres are ___; U. produces ___; as an agricultural country U. grows ___ ; as for political system U. is a ___; the head of the state is ___; U. is subdivided into ___; U. is also famous for its ___.

Вправа 1. Доповніть речення словами: rivers; proclaimed in 1991; state power; various mineral resources; about 47 million; agriculture.

1. Ukraine has its own territory, higher and local bodies of ___. 2. The geographical position of Ukraine is favourable for ___. 3. The population of Ukraine is about ___. 4. The declaration of Ukrainian independence was ___. 5. The Dnieper, the Bug, the Danube are the major ___. 6. Ukraine is rich in ___.