2579

56.What episodes of Russian history can you find in the text?

57.What are the Siberians mentioned in the text famous for?

58.Guess who is who:

59. Fill in each gap with only one word:

Dmitriy Mendeleyev ... born in Tobolsk in 1834. He was studying in gymnasia ... Peter Ershov was a head master. A ... years later Mendeleyev continued with his studies in St. Petersburg Pedagogical Institute and graduated with honours degree. Over the next few years, he was the Professor of St. Pe-

60

tersburg University, did a ... of research in chemistry, wrote articles for scientific magazines ... his discoveries which were later used in chemical and military industries, agriculture, etc. He published ... than 400 scientific works. His ... famous discovery is the periodic law, classifying all chemical elements as periodic system and predicting new elements then unknown for scientists. Moreover, he was ... of the founders of Tomsk University and Tomsk Technological Institute. Dmitriy Mendeleyev died ... 1907.

60. Fill in the table using the Russian texts at the back of the book:

61. Try to guess who is the poem of Belozyorov about:

Он шел с боевой дружиной, Вороша вековую тишь.

Идружину его в пружину Сжал широкий седой Иртыш. Отразились в воде кольчуги, Копья, шлемы, скуластость лиц,

Ипоплыли на Север струги, Словно стая тяжелых птиц… У гребцов тяжелеют руки, Вздыбил конницу Красный Яр – Смерть каленую мечут луки Не разбитых еще татар… (Т. Белозеров)

Do you know the history of his nickname? 62. Read the text and retell it:

One of the legend says that Vasiliy Alyonin was a barge-hauler on the Kama. The barge-haulers cooked their meals in large boiler in turns. Vasiliy

61

made dinner better than others that is why he was often asked by his fellowworkers to cook out of turn. Once somebody called him "ermack", it meant "boiler" in the Tatar language. Then other people began calling him in such a way.

63. Compare two texts and find mistakes in the English text:

СЧАСТЛИВЫЙ ЧЕЛОВЕК

Из Омска в Семипалатинск по правому берегу Иртыша едет счастливый человек.

Он почти не разговаривает со своими спутниками. Сидя на санях, он жадно вглядывается в степной простор, широкую ленту Иртыша, все время скользящую за путниками. Порой его сжатые губы растягивает широкая улыбка, такая странная на угрюмом и болезненном лице с огромным лбом.

Он с наслаждением вдыхает весенний воздух и каждой частичкой своего существа ощущает свободу, которую он ждал столько бесконечных зим и лет.

(По П. Косенко)

HAPPY MEN

A happy men was going on the right bank of the Irtysh river from Omsk to Semipalatinsk.

He hasn't almost talking with his sputniks. Sitting at the sledge, he was watching greedily at the steppe spaciousness, the broad stripe of the Irtysh sliding after a travellers. At times his compressed lips stretched the broad smile, it is so strange in his gloomy and ill face with big forehead.

He is breathing in with pleasure the spring air and felt in his bones freedom which he was has looking forward to so endless winters and summers.

64. Discuss and write your project about famous Siberian people using additional information at the back of the book.

Text 5

65. Read the following words and learn them by heart:

spiritual – духовный mankind – человечество spy – шпион

62

freemasonry – масонство deity – божество

inhabitant – житель, обитатель

in the course of journey – проездом steamship – пароход acquaintance – знакомство

exile – ссылка

Museum of local lore – краеведческий музей sowing – сев, посев

66. Read the text and entitle it:

Nikolay Rerih was declared the spiritual driver of mankind, the antichrist, the Soviet spy, the head of a world freemasonry and even transformation of one of Buddhist deities. Rerih compared himself to a lonely bear, emphasizing thus, that exactly with a bear, instead of the wolf. It is impossible to answer the question: who this surprising person actually was? Interpretations of separate episodes of his life, including his origin, sometimes completely exclude each other.

Inhabitants of our city can be proud of that Nikolay Konstantinovich Rerih, his wife Elena Ivanovna and senior son Jury Nikolaevich during the Central - Asian expedition, in the course of journey, have visited Omsk.

On June, 8, 1926 in the early morning by a steamship "on February, 8" Rerihs came to Omsk, planning at once to continue a way . But happened so, that the necessary two trains have just left, and it was necessary to wait for three days for next train. The Rerihs settled in hotel "Europe" - now it is hotel "Siberia". They were warmly met by the Omsk public. From the book "Altais – Himalayas", which was Nikolay

Konstantinovich's travelling diary during expedition, we find out, that in day of arrival the weather in Omsk was cold, day was gloomy, and the sun hardly made the way. But the Siberian weather did not interfere with The Rerihs to begin acquaintance to Omsk. Historical buildings have been examined: a private residence, where Kolchak lived, a building of the Senate, dilapidated prison, where F. M. Dostoevsky served exile, a cathedral where "shabby banner of Ermak" was stored.

Next day The Rerihs have visited Museum of local lore. Nikolay Konstantinovich has appreciated the

63

pictures collected in a museum. In a diary the artist has written down: "We go in a regional museum. There is an Art Department and Ethnographic one. There are a lot of pictures from the big cities. They characterize currents of Russian painting school. There is not only Levitsky, but also Musatov, and Levitan. To my surprise, we find two my things..."

On June, 10, at midnight, the Rerihs left Omsk. It was a holiday. In Omsk the races on horses and camels were arranged. The celebration was connected to the ending of sowing. Nikolay Konstantinovich has written down in a diary: "We go in an atmosphere of a holiday of crop. Greetings to friends!!"

67.Answer the following questions:

1.What was Rerih famous for?

2.Did he visit Omsk? If he did, when did it happen and what was the purpose of his visit?

3.What did The Rerihs do in Omsk?

4.Did he like our city?

68.Imagine that you are talking to foreigner. Retell this text in 10 -12 sentences in English.

Text 6

69. Read the following text. What are the main points of interest for the author?

PUSHKIN AND SIBERIA

The Siberian historians, regional specialists write usually only about one ancestor of the poet. It was on a parent line – Hannibal. And that is informed only with fractional information about Hannibal in connection with that he was the colleague of the founder of Omsk – Buchgolz. But, it appears, on a fatherly line Pushkin's of more than ten ancestors occupied at 16-18 centuries the state posts in Siberia. It is very interesting information. The ancestors of Pushkin served as voevodes in the cities

64

of Tobolsks, Tomsk, Surgut, Narym, Yakutsk.

The great variety of works about Pushkin is created. But it is written very little about connections of his genealogical and creative with our territory. Many consider: Pushkin was not in Siberia, that is why he had nothing to tell about Siberia. However, it is not so. Pushkin conceived the composition about Ermak. For the first time the name of this hero of Ancient Russia appears in Pushkin's records in 1824. Alexander 1 was threatened to banish the poet to Siberia for his "shocking verses".

In 1837 the poet has made the plan of product about Kamchatka and about its conqueror the Siberian cossack – explorer of 17 centuries – Vladimir Atlasov. Pushkin read the book of the traveller, the academician of 18 centuries S. P. Krashennikova "the Description of the ground of Kamchatka". He always remembered, that his ancestors served as voevodes in far northern cities – jails and they have brought considerable contribution to development of Siberia.

Inhabitants of our city should be proud of that the best monument to Pushkin not only in the city of Omsk, but also in all Siberia and Russia is the library in our city, named after his name. It is true, incomparable monument to the great poet.

70.Retell the text "Pushkin and Siberia" in English.

71.Fill in the crossword:

2

1

3

5 4

6

7

8 9

1.The animal that is hunted and bred by most native peoples of Siberia.

2.The writer who was sentenced to imprisonment in Siberia, the author of "Notes from the House of the Dead".

65

3.The merchant who decided to send a group of people to conquer Siberia.

4.The biggest city of Yakutia.

5.One of the participants of rebellion in 1825, exiled to Siberia.

6.The first enemy of Russians in Siberia.

7.The leader of the group or soldiers sent to conquer Siberia.

8.Sending people to live in a certain place without permission to leave it.

9.The main water artery of Yakutia.

72.Compare life in Siberia at the beginning of exploration and now. Think over if something remained the way it used to be. Use the information from the texts you read before.

73.Fill in the table using the information from all the texts:

74.Make up a dialogue about history of Siberia or Siberian inhabitants.

75.Imagine that you are one of Yermak’s soldiers or Yermak himself. Briefly describe any interesting event from the compaign. Use the plan:

Introduction

Paragraph 1

Set the scene (name, place, time, reason)

Main Body

Paragraph 2

Preparations

Paragraph 3

Description of the actual event/activities

Conclusion

Paragraph 4

Feelings, comments, final thoughts.

66

76. Prepare a survey report (a formal piece of writing based on research) about any peoples of Siberia. Don’t forget to use the forms of percentages or proportions (example: 1 in 4). The following plan will help you:

Introduction

State purpose and content of your report

Development

Summarize your information under suitable sub-headings

Conclusion

End with a general conclusion, and, if necessary, make recommendations/ suggestions.

67

Part III

EXCURSION TO SIBERIAN CITIES AND TOWNS

Lead-in:

What city do you live in? What interesting facts can you tell about it?

Underline the adjectives. Then pick out the words (phrases) describing your city:

architecture, bad, beautiful, boring, busy, cheap, climate, cold, crowded, dangerous, dirty, entertainment, excellent, food, expensive, good, interesting, large, medium-sized, modern, old, safe, safety, shops, small, traffic.

SIBERIAN CITIES AND TOWNS

1. Read one of these texts:

Text 1

KOLPASHEVO

Kolpashevo is one of the oldest Russian settlements in western Siberia found in early 17th century. It lived a long history from a village to a trade settlement in Narym province and then to a modern city.

An advantageous geographical location (two large navigative rivers Ob and Ket are connected by a channel here), forests and rivers are great opportunities for farming – all that determined the development of Kolpashevo. By the early 20th century Kolpashevo had become the largest settlement of Narym uyezd.

Kolpashevo dwellers were occupied with farming and cattle-breeding and different trade including carrying. Since the 20s different industries – timber, fishing, oil and gas extracting and others – have been successfully developed due to the richest nature of the area.

68

Great changes that took place in Narym province in its almost four century history have transformed the life in that severe and incredibly wonderful land.

Text 2

NARYM

The settlement of Narym lies at the confluence of the small river Narymka and Ob in Parabelski district. Its almost four century history started in 1596 with the establishment of the Russian fortress that has become one of the strongholds for settling of Siberia by the Russian pioneers.

Opening of steamboat navigation on the Ob river caused enlivening of trade and turned Narym into an outstanding trading centre. Narym was famous among the business people for its fairs carried out 4 times a year.

The time has passed and today one can see the new and modern Narym. Cultural and historical monuments of the village, friendliness and hospitality of its dwellers remain forever in the memories of tourists who visited the place.

Text 3

TARA

Tara city is the rayon centre of the Omsk region found in 1594 at the confluence of the Irtysh and Tara rivers. The city has played an important role in settling of Siberia for centuries. A great road from Tobolsk to Siberia passes through Tara. It was the centre of trade with the southern lands – Bokhara and Joungary. Today Tara is a modern city with wide streets. It is closely associated with timber industry, agriculture and navigation. The scent of the olden days can be caught in the architectural appearance of Tara – so close the bygone history

69