Vocabulary

Task 7. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and word combinations, describing the town: administrative centre, cultural centre, educational centre, industrial centre, ancient, modern, unique, special, beautiful.

Task 8. Find a pair of antonyms in this group of adjectives and give synonyms to the word «beautiful».

Grammar

Task 9. Give your explanation on the use of articles in the following sentences and translate these sentences.

• It is the place where the fortress was laid.

• It is a special place to commemorate the heroism of _ people in the Great Patriotic war.

• In 1781 Tambov received its emblem – a hive and three_ bees on the blue and green background.

Task 10. Tick the sentence where «Participle I» is used as an independent part of speech (a non-finite form of the verB., but not as a part of verbal tense form (Present Progressive). Translate these sentences into Russian.

• Present day Tambov starts with the railway station facing Internatsionalnaya Street.

• Tambov is an industrial centre but the number of factories and plants is rapidly reducing.

Check yourself consulting the following rules.

1. Неопределенный артикль употребляется перед исчисляемыми существительными в единственном числе, впервые упоминаемыми в речи. Если перед таким существительным стоит определение, артикль ставится перед этим определением.

Определенный артикль ставится перед существительными, как в единственном, так и во множественном числе, если речь идет об известных предметах.

Отсутствие какого-либо артикля («нулевой артикль») имеет место в следующих случаях если существительное, впервые упоминаемое в речи, стоит во множественном числе или является собирательным.

2. Причастие I (Participle I) может выступать в качестве самостоятельной части речи (как одна из неличных форм глагола) или быть составной частью времен'ных глагольных форм группы Progressive (Continuous). В первом случае в форме Indefinite Active оно имеет только окончание «ing» и выступает в предложении в функции определения. Во втором случае Причастие I помимо окончания «ing» имеет перед собой вспомогательный глагол «to be» в соответствующей форме и употребляется в предложении в качестве части составного сказуемого.

Данные правила касаются только случаев употребления изучаемых грамматических явлений в приведенных выше предложениях.

Сomprehension

Task 11. Chose the right answer for the following questions.

When was Tambov built?

A. in the 16-th century

B. in the 17-th century

Who was the 1-st governor of Tambov?

A. Roman Boborykin

B. G.R. Derzhavin

Task 12. Complete the following sentences:

Tambov is one of the oldest Russian towns built in 1636 as a fortress…

In 1781 Tambov received its emblem…

Opposite the Drama Theatre there is…

It is a special place to commemorate the heroism of people…

In Sovetskaya Street behind the monument to Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya…

There are many other beautiful and unique buildings in our town such as…

Tambov is linked with the names of…

At present Tambov is an industrial centre…

There are two universities …

People of all ages like …

Task 13. Enumerate these items in the right order and tick the item which is not mentioned in the text.

• The origin of Tambov.

• Places of interest in Tambov.

• The emblem of Tambov.

• The Day of the Town.

• The total area and the population of Tambov.

• Tambov’s educational institutions.

• Tambov as a cultural centre

Task 14. Prove that Tambov is a cultural centre.

Task 15. Name the following sights:

The central square in Tambov.__________________________________________

The building facing the beginning of Internatsionalnaya Street._______________

A Modern building opposite the Drama Theatre.___________________________

A sanatorium in Naberezhnaya Street.___________________________________

A monument opposite the Hotel «Tambov».______________________________

Task 16. Write out key-sentences for each passage.

Task 17. Make up the summary of the text.

Task 18. Act out dialogues.

- Have you seen much of the town?

- Not much so far.

- Neither have I. I want to go sightseeing. Will you join me?

- With pleasure, but is it possible to see anything in one day?

- Not half enough. What are you interested in? Do you like museums?

- Yes, rather.

- If so, let’s start with our local museum.

- OK.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- Excuse me, where is the post office?

- It is over there across the city park.

- Thanks a lot.

- Not at all.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- Pardon me, is it Nosovskaya Street?

- I am sorry. I don’t know.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- Excuse me, how can I get to the railway station?

- Oh, it’s rather far. Take bus 18. But if you are in a hurry, take a taxi.

- Thank you so much.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Task 19. Make up you own dialogues using conversational phrases of addressing people, asking the way, giving directions, expressing gratitude.

Addressing people: Look here! I say! Excuse me. Pardon me.

Asking the way: Would (could) you, please tell me how to get to… Tell me, please, what is the best way to… Will you please tell me how I can get to…

Giving directions: Walk (drive) up (down, along) the street until you get to… Take bus 50 and get off at … Turn left (right). On the left, (on the right, at the corner, across from, between… and…, not far from, of in the distance) you will see…

Expressing gratitude: Thank you. Thanks a lot. Thank you very much. Many thanks. Replies: Not at all, You are welcome.

Task 20. Write a letter to your pen pal describing the sights worth seeing of in Tambov.