Vocabulary

abundance	изобилие
Askold’s Grave	Аскольдова могила
beach	пляж
Church of St. Andrey	церковь св. Андрея
cradle	колыбель
Eternal fire	Вечный огонь
picturesque	живописный
research	научно-исследовательский
the Park of Immortal Glory	Парк Вечной Славы
to attract	привлекать
tomb	могила
Unknown Soldier	Неизвестный солдат

Kiev is the capital of Ukraine. It is one of the oldest cities of Europe and therefore there are many historical places in it. It was the capital of ancient Rus, cradle of three fraternal peoples – the Russian, the Ukrainian and the Buelorussian.

Nowadays it is a large political, industrial, scientific and cultural centre of Ukraine. Its population equals nearly 3 million people. It is the Supreme Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers.

Kiev is famous not only for its history (it was called “the Mother of All Rus’ Cities”), but for it beauty, for the abundance of places of historic interest in it. It is situated on the picturesque banks of the Dnieper River.

Kiev’s monuments of the past attract a lot of visitors. They are impressed by Kiev-Pechersky Monastery which stands on a green hill above the Dnieper and its sparkling gold cuprous can be seen from outside the capital. The huge gateway from Volodymyrska Street opens on the territory of another ancient monument – St. Sophia’s Cathedral which is the state architectural and historical preserve. It was founded in 1037 during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. On the other corner of Volodymyrska Street you can see the Gold Gate. Shevchenko Memorial, Vydubetsky Monastery, Askold’s Grave and Church of St. Andrey are really worth sightseeing too. In the Park or Immortal Glory there is a Tomb of Unknown Soldier, over which an eternal fire burns.

There are a lot of museums in Kiev: the Historical Museum of Ukrainian Art, the Museum of Western and Oriental Art, Shevchenko Museum, Lesya Ukrainka Memorial Museum and others.

Kiev is the center of Ukrainian culture. Many research institutes and higher education establishments are to be found here. It is famous for its theatres and concert halls such as Taras Shevchenko Opera and Ballet Theatre, Musical Comedy Theatre, Puppet Theatre, Conservatoire and Philharmonics, the Concert Hall “Ukraine”. The performance stranded at there theatres are always of great demand.

The picturesque green banks and hills, plentiful flowerbeds with millions of different flowers, wonderful beaches of Dnieper, Kreshchatik, one of the widest and most beautiful streets in our country – all this adds up to the beauty of Ukrainian capital.

1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart

2. Read the text, translate it into Russian

3. Answer the questions.

1. Why can we say that Kiev is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine?

2. What museums do you know in Kiev?

3. You know Kiev’s sightseeing, don’t you?

4. Which is the most impressive monastery in Kyiv?

5. What is Kiev famous for except its own history?

4. Retell the text.

CRIMEA