The Far East: people and culture

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weather pattern here is capricious and unpredictable and the growing period is so short. Despite this, many families succeed in supplying themselves with fruit, vegetables and berries.

So the Amur is not only one of the beauties of the Russian Far East, but it also is a source which provides all necessary conditions for living on the banks of this mighty river.

Assignments from the text “ The Amur River”

I.First, explain these words and word combinations in English and then translate them from English into Russian:

1.the river originates in Siberia

2.the north west extremity of the Pacific ocean

3.the more sophisticated, well-connected city

4.pictures carved on the rock

5.ancient cultural heritage

6.reminders of many centuries ago

7.to reach the estuary by ship

8.oriental-looking people

9.depict animals and masks

10.route from Asia to America

11.in favor to

12.an outlet to the sea

13.sea-going vessels

14.hydrofoils

15.to become ice-bound

16.to carry cargo

17.treacherous flooding

18.ichtyofauna

19.to strive

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20.the weather pattern

21.the endemic species

22.lodges

23.allied species

24.sturgeon family

II.Say in one word:

1.the wide lower part or mouth of a river

2.an object or custom , or quality which is passed down over many years within the nation, social group or family, and is thought of as something valuable and important which belongs to all its members

3.a chosen direction or line of travel between one place and another

4.an area of land from which water runs into a river; a large valley

5.to travel into or through (a place) for the purpose of discovery

6.a ship or a large boat, especially of the stated kind

7.a large motorboat fitted with apparatus which raises it out of the water when it moves at high speed

8.the act or practice of sailing a ship

9.a large fish with a flat diamond-shaped body, used as food

10.regular travel from one part to another according to the seasons of year

11.a wide wall of stones or earth built to keep a river from overflowing its banks

12.tending to show unexpected changes

13.to present or to show as in the picture

14.a number of ships under one command, such as warships in the navy

15.possessing the exciting and charming quality of something unusual and special

III.Translate from Russian into English:

1.приветствовать первых первопроходцев

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2.река, дающая воду и пищу

3.одни названия звучат похоже, другие нет

4.напоминание о прошедших веках

5.культурное наследие, находящееся под защитой правительства края

6.исторические и культурные связи между народами центральной Азии и Полинезии

7.обширные хвойные леса

8.в результате роста населения произошел рост амурской флотилии

9.войти в устье реки

10.прочно замерзнуть

11.специализированные грузовые суда типа река-море

12.завершить жизненный цикл

13.развить навыки рыбной ловли до совершенства

14.многим семьям удаѐтся заготовить фрукты, овощи и ягоды

15.семейство осетровых.

IV. Divide the text into logical parts. Give a name to each part. Make up an outline of the text.

V. Retell the text.

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CITY AND ITS PEOPLE

TEXT 7.

THE CITY OF KHABAROVSK

Khabarovsk is the biggest economic and cultural centre of the Russian Far East. It is also the administrative centre of the Khabarovsk Territory which covers about 320 thousand square miles. The city of Khabarovsk covers almost 154 square miles and stretches along the bank of the mighty Amur for 28 miles. The city of Khabarovsk was built according to the old Russian tradition – on the high right bank of the river facing the sunset. Alluvial silt and sandy bars on the Amur left bank make both excellent beaches and areas for summer cottages. The urban residents garden there. The population of the Khabarovsk Territory is just under 2 million, 600,000 of whom live in Khabarovsk city.

In 1858 Russia and China signed the Aigun Treaty, followed by the Beijing Treaty 2 years later. These two treaties legally determined the Russian frontiers in the Far East. Then a number of military outposts were built to guard the border, Khabarovsk, which was founded in 1858, was one of them.

At first this city was a small military settlement named after one of the first Russian explorers of the mid 1600s, Yerofei Khabarov. One can find a magnificent statue of this person in the Railway Station Square, which greets all guests who arrive in the city by train.

The city was built by the soldiers of the 13th Siberian battalion who were promised they could remain here as free settlers with their own plot of land after being discharged. Under the command of Captain Dyachenko they laid the first city streets and built the first wooden houses. The city was built on the summits of 3 hills which are now crossed by a number of parallel streets going from one summit to the next. At first all the streets in Khabarovsk were known by numbers only. They were given names after 1881. The main street was

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named after the governer-general of Eastern Siberia, Muravyev-Amurski.

This is the so called “downtown” of the city. Many shops, restaurants, movietheatres and theatres are situated on both sides of the street. Komsomolskaya Square and Lenin Square are at opposite ends of the street. Komsomolskaya Square was previously called Sabornaya (Cathedral) after a beautiful

Assumption Cathedral which stood there. It was pulled down by the Bolsheviks. But in the year 2000 it was re-erected there. The gilded 60-foot cupola of the cathedral is somewhat like a calling card for the city since it is vividly seen from far away. The obelisk in the centre of the square was unveiled in 1956 and devoted to the participants of the Civil War in the Far East.

The old red brick building one may see in this square houses the Territorial Public Library which contains over 3 million books. Of course this is not the only library in Khabarovsk. There are actually 200 of them.

Lenin Square is one of the favourite haunts of the city. A series of fountains makes this square attractive for the city dwellers and guests, who take their dates there and go strolling and roller skating. In winter different New Year attractions are arranged in the Square.

Khabarovsk has three professional theatres and a number of amateur ones.

One of the theatres is the Children‟s Theatre, the repertoire of which is of great interest for the young people of the city. There is also the Russian Drama Theatre. A beautiful architectural complex in Karl-Marx Street is the Territorrial Musical Theatre, which is very popular with the city inhabitants.

Karl-Marx Street is one of the longest streets in our city. Actually it links Lenin Square to the Khabarovsk airport. The airport is considered to be the second largest airport in Russia. There are 40 domestic routes and also regular flights to Japan, China, North and South Korea, America and Singapore.

Another beautiful site of the city is the Amur boulevard. Many years ago there was a deep ravine where a small dirty river used to run. Now it flows through underground concrete pipes. In the middle of the boulevard they

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planted trees from the Far East and decorative shrubs which made it look much more attractive. Now it is one of the residents‟ favourite haunts.

For those who go in for sports, there is the Sports Complex on the bank of the Amur River. It is the largest (70 acres) facility in this area.

The embankment running along the Sports Complex links it with the city amusement park. This is near the famous Amur promontory where the first Russian settlers - soldiers of the 13th Siberian battalion - landed. Here one can see the monument to Muravyev-Amurski, who was a striking figure in Russian history and deserves to be remembered.

The Amur promontory is an excellent view point. From here one can see a panorama of the city and the islands on the Amur River. Just at the bottom of the promontory there is the city beach, which is always crowded in summer time.

The war memorial in Glory Square is another attraction of Khabarovsk. There is a 25-foot semi-circular marble memorial wall. Red granite standards are dipped over the eternal flame. On the granite wall there are about twenty thousand names of Far Easterners who fell in the battles of World War II.

Another favourite recreation area of Khabarovsk is the man-made ponds which have recently been reconstructed. They look beautiful in summer. In winter young people go skating there.

On the one hand, Khabarovsk is a city with a relatively long and interesting history since it dates back to the mid 1800s. On the other hand, this is a young city with its modern buildings and construction sites. In 2001, the circus was built in Gagarin Park, which has become very popular with the city residents and guests. A new sports complex, which seats 7,000 seats was recently built. The roads are being reconstructed.

Khabarovsk is a students‟ city. There are quite a number of higher educational institutions here. The most popular are the Khabarovsk State Teachers‟ Training University, the Medical School, the Railway Transport

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Academy, the National Economy Academy, the Law School, the Polytechnic University and the Institute of Physical Training and Sports.

This area, so rich, beautiful and scenic, undoubtedly plays an important role in the Russian national economy. The products of the Khabarovsk factories are well known in many parts of this country. Major industries in the city are machine tool making, ship building, ship repairing, power engineering and diesel engine making.

Khabarovsk is a growing city. With every passing year it is becoming increasingly beautiful and attractive.

Assignments from the text “The City of Khabarovsk”

I.Write down and translate the words in bold type. Check their pronunciation in the dictionary. Learn the words.

II. Prepare good reading and translate the text.

III. Match the words and word-combinations with their definitions:

m. a post or position at a distance in front of a main body of soldiers to watch the enemy and prevent surprise

n. a deep narrow valley

o. a particular branch of manufacture

IV. Give the English equivalents for the following. Make up sentences with them:

1.крупнейший экономический, культурный и административный центр.

2.простираться вдоль берега на 28 миль

3.заниматься садоводством

4.определить русские границы

5.охранять границу

6.маленькое военное поселение

7.свободные поселенцы

8.Успенский Собор

9.позолоченный купол высотой 60 футов

10.быть отчетливо видным издалека

11.представлять большой интерес для

12.яркая фигура в русской истории

13.заслужить память

14.полукруглая мемориальная стена длиной 25 футов

15.отделанный мрамором

16.склоненный над вечным огнем

17.пасть в сражениях второй мировой войны

18.датироваться серединой 18 века

19.играть свою роль в российском народном хозяйстве

VII. Divide the text into several logical parts and subtitle them.

VIII. Make questions from the parts of the text. Practise asking and answering the questions.

IX. Make a tour of Khabarovsk. Act as a city guide.

X. Make a report about some other city of the Russian Far East.

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TEXT 8.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF KHABAROVSK

The city of Khabarovsk was founded as a military post in the middle of the 19th century. Its good location facilitated the development of the traffic system and thus, industrial development in general.

Khabarovsk is a rather new city, but it is rapidly growing. Not long ago it was accorded the statue of the Far-Eastern Federal Okrug centre.

What does our city look like now?

Let‟s examine its architectural and historical peculiarities.

The names of the first architects and designers that went down in city history are:

M. Lubensky – the first city overall plan (1864)

V.G. Mooro – the Female Boarding School, the Military Assembly (no longer existing)

Military engineers:

P.E. Basilevsky – the railway station buildings in Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, and the Chinese Consulate in

Vladivostok (which wasn‟t preserved)

U.Z. Kolmachevsky – the Trade House of the Plyusnins (1, Muravyov-Amursky St.)

B.A. Malinovsky – urban water-supply, street maintenance and repairs, the ground plan of the tunnel under the Amur river, the City Hall (the Duma) in 1909 (17, Muravyov-Amursky St.)

S.O. Ber – the Trade House of Ladchenko (94, Zaparina St.), the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – 1886 (which wasn‟t preserved), the city prison, the police department, etc.

A.K. Levteev – the design of pavilions, the Trade House of A.K. Arhipov in pseudo-baroque style (the external decoration was destroyed, and today it is the Central Department Store), etc.