4.4. From the history of russia

History never stops … Trying to stop it is like trying to stop geography.

Augusto Monterroso, 1921-2003, Guatemalan writer

ЗАДАНИЕ 1. Прочитайте интернациональные слова и определите их значения.

nations, voluntarily, Slavs, farmers, hordes, heroic, commerce, empire, university, republic, national, attack

ЗАДАНИЕ 2. Прочитайте следующие имена собственные и дайте их русские эквиваленты.

Russia, Eastern Slavs, Ukrainian, Byelorussia peoples, Moscow, Eastern Europe, Kiev Russ, Mongol-Tartar hordes, Russian Empire, St. Petersburg, the Great Patriotic War, the Second World War, the Victory Day

ЗАДАНИЕ 3. Прочитайте следующие числительные с существительными. Переведите их на русский язык.

the 9th century, the 13th century, 250 years, 1480, the 14th century, 1564, 1755, 1917, 1922, 1941, 1945, the 9th of May

ЗАДАНИЕ 5. Познакомьтесь со словами и словосочетаниями, которые помогут вам понять текст:

1) to join – присоединяться

Some nations voluntarily joined Russia.

2) to conquer – завоевывать

3) force – сила

Some nations were conquered by force.

4) forefather – предок

Eastern Slavs were forefathers of the Russian, Ukrainian and Byelorussian peoples.

5) to dwell – жить

Eastern Slavs dwelled in Eastern Europe.

6) slim – стройный

7) fair-haired – светловолосый

Slavs were slim, fair-haired people.

8) a shepherd – пастух

9) a hunter – охотник

Slavs were hunters, shepherds.

10) a log – бревно

11) to roof – крыть (дом)

12) straw – солома

The houses of the Slavs were put together with logs and roofed with wood or straw.

13) a hearth – очаг

A hearth was built of stones.

14) a chimney – труба, дымоход

There was no chimney.

15) a bench – скамья

Along the walls wooden benches stood.

16) an invader – захватчик

Russia fought against the invaders.

17) to overthrow – свергать

In 1480 the Mongol-Tatar rule was overthrown.

18) to save – спасать

Europe was saved from the invasion.

19) to print – печатать

I. Fyodorov printed Russia’s first book.

20) entire – весь

The entire people fought against the enemy.

21) troops – войска

Soviet troops won the Second World War.

ЗАДАНИЕ 6. Прочитайте текст к теме «История России».

From the history of russia

Russia is a very old state. It was built up over several centuries. Some nations voluntarily joined Russia, others were conquered by force. Long ago the Eastern Slavs, forefathers of the Russian, Ukrainian and Byelorussian peoples, dwelled in Eastern Europe. They were slim, fair-haired people. The ancient Slavs were farmers, hunters, fishermen, shepherds. Their life was hard. They had to work a great deal and often had to fight. The houses of the Slavs were put together with logs and roofed with wood or straw. The windows were right down by the ground. The floor was of earth. In one corner a hearth was built of stones. The smoke from the fire escaped through the doorway as there was no chimney. Along the walls wooden benches stood.

In the 9th century the first big state of the Eastern Slavs – Kiev Russ – was founded. In the 13th century Russia was conquered by the Mongol-Tartar hordes. For 250 long years Russia fought against the invaders and in 1480 the Mongol-Tartar rule was overthrown. Thanks to the Russian peoples heroic fight Europe was saved from this terrible invasion.

In the 14th century Moscow became the capital of the new state. In 1564 Ivan Fyodorov printed Russia’s first book. Great changes took place in the state during the reign of Peter the Great.

Commerce and trade with other countries developed. The country’s strength grew and it came to be known as the Russian Empire. Peter I established the new capital of Russia St. Petersburg. The founding of the first University in Moscow in 1755, by the great scholar Mikhail Lomonosov, was a great event in the history of Russia.

In 1917 the revolution happened and in 1922 Russia became one of the republics of the new state – the Soviet Union.

In 1941 Nazi Germany attacked the country and the entire people were fighting against the enemy during the Great Patriotic War. In 1945 Soviet troops with US, British and French troops won the Second World War. The Victory Day on the 9th of May has now become our national holiday.

ЗАДАНИЕ 7. Пользуясь текстом, подберите английские эквиваленты следующим словам и словосочетаниям.

a) добровольно присоединились b) силой c) много работать d) вдоль стен e) покрытые древесиной или соломой f) выходил через дверь g) благодаря j) во время правления

1) along the walls 2) to work a great deal 3) during the reign 4) voluntarily joined 5) roofed with wood or straw 6) scholar 7) by force 8) escaped through the doorway 9) thanks to

ЗАДАНИЕ 8. Скажите, в связи, с чем в тексте приводятся следующие цифры:

several centuries, the 9th century, the 13th century, 1480, the 14th century, 1564, 1755, 1922, 1945

Russia was built up several centuries.

In the 9th century Kiev Russ – the first state of the Eastern Slavs – was founded.

In the 13th century Russia was conquered by Mongol-Tartar hordes.

In 1480 the Mongol-Tartar rule was overthrown.

In the 14th century Moscow became the capital of Russia.

In 1564 Ivan Fyodorov printed Russia’s first book.

In 1755 the first University in Moscow was founded.

In 1922 Russia became one of the republics of the new state – the Soviet Union.

In 1945 Soviet people won the Great Patriotic War.

ЗАДАНИЕ 9. Выбрав правильный вариант, закончите следующие предложения:

1. Russia was built up … a) several centuries; b) hundred years ago.

2. The Eastern Slavs dwelled in … a) Western; b) Eastern Europe.

3. They were …a) fair-haired; b) dark-haired people.

4. The houses of the Slavs were put together with …a) logs; b) bricks.

5. The houses were roofed with … a) tiling; b) straw.

ЗАДАНИЕ 10. Читайте текст, вставляя пропущенные слова, выберите те, которые соответствуют тексту:

The ancient Slavs

dwelled lived stayed

in the houses which were built with

logs bricks concrete

and roofed

with	wood tiling straw.

The floor was of	earth	A hearth was	constructed	of stones
	parquet linoleum.		made built	timber metal.

Unit 5