Unit V. The altai territory
Warm-up activities.
Look at the pictures.
Do you know these places? Can you name them?
Where are these buildings and monument situated?
What can you say about them?
Vocabulary
equal ['iːkwəl] - равный, одинаковый
to border on - граничить
rural district - сельскийрайон
urban - городской
to be the personal property – бытьчастной cобственностью
you can’t but admire – нельзя не восхищаться
tzar [zɑː] = tsar – царь
mountainous ['mauntɪnəs] - гористый
cover ['kʌvə] – покрывать
appreciate [ə'priːʃɪeɪt] - оценивать, (высоко) ценить; быть признательным, благодарным
wealth [welθ] -1) богатство, состояние 2) изобилие, избыток
formed by the junction – образованная слиянием
radon baths – радоновые ванны
curing mud – лечебные грязи
consumer goods – потребительские товары
tourist equipment – туристическое снаряжение
to call the «Breadwinner» - называть житницей (кормилицей)
wheat – пшеница
rye – рожь
sugar beet – сахарная свекла
buckwheat – гречиха
oats – овес
flax – лен
sea buckthorn ['bʌkθɔːn] - облепиха
to become the foremost producer – стать передовым производителем
crop production – производство зерна
food processing ['prəusesɪŋ] industry - пищевая промышленность
dairy ['dɛərɪ] - молочный
maral breeding - мараловодство
bee keeping - пчеловодство
livestock farming – животноводство
co-exist - (with) сосуществовать (с кем-л.)
artistic articles – художественные изделия
The State Hermitage – Государственный Эрмитаж
Unique - [juː'niːk] - уникальный, единственный в своём роде, исключительный
Altai gave birth to – Алтай - это родина
to rank first in the output – занимать 1-е место по производству (выпуску продукции)
The Altai Territory
The Altai territory is situated in the South East of Western Siberia at an equal distance from the four oceans. The total area of the Altai territory is 167 thousand square kilometers, the population numbers 2,491,000 mln. people including urban – 53% and rural – 47%. The region has 12 towns 7 urban and 60 rural districts. The capital of the Altai Region is Barnaul. Its population runs to 620 thousand people. In the west part it borders on Eastern Kazakhstan, in the north and south – east it borders with Novosibirskaya and Kemerovskaya oblasts, in the south – east part it borders with the Altai republic. In the XVIII century the territory of Altai was «the Silver Treasury of Russia». It had been the personal property of the Cabinet and Russian tzars.
You can’t but admire the nature of the territory we live in. One of the greatest rivers of the world– the Ob formed by the junction of the two rivers the Katun and the Beya flows through the Altai Territory.
There are 3 thousand lakes in our Altai. The largest one is Kulundinskoye Lake (728 sq.km.). Due to the landscape types the climate varies greatly. Almost all landscape areas of Russia are present in the Altai territory - steppe and forest steppe, taiga, mountains and reach river ecosystems. Considerable areas are covered with virgin taiga forests. True hunters and fishermen highly appreciate the wealth of the taiga and the lakes. "The Belokurikha" health resort with its famous radon baths is situated in a picturesque corner of the Altai foothills. Visitors of Yarovoye Lake use its curing mud. Herbs are prepared in Altai in large quantities. A great number of tourist paths lead to the mountainous Altai.
During the years of the Great Patriotic War the Altai territory hosted 100 factories evacuated from the western territories of Russia, including 24 factories of all-Soviet Union importance. This changed the economic position of the Altai territory and gave rise to industry development. At the same time the Altai territory remained one of the biggest manufacturer of bread, meet, butter, honey, wool and other agricultural produce.
Today Altai produces engines, tractors, power-station boilers, tractor ploughs, freight railway cars, tyres, electric pumps, radio-apparatuses, cotton and synthetic fibers. The production of consumer goods has been organized here lately: chemical goods, furniture, sports goods and tourist equipment.
The largest plants are joint-stock companies “Altai Tractor”, “Barnaultransmash”, “Sibenergomash”, “Altaiselmash-Holding”,
“Altaivagon”, “Chemical Fibre plant” etc.
They call Altai «the Breadwinner» and the people are right. Altai is a major agricultural producer in Russia. It produces millions of tons of grain, meat, milk, vegetables and potatoes. Altai has become the foremost producer of sugar beet, oil-giving sunflowers and soy. A number of other crops are grown here: buckwheat, pears, oats and flax. It also produces berries and fruits.
In Altai Region gardening is actively developing. The most promising area of this industry is the growing of sea-buckthorn, also known as “Siberian pineapple” as it contains much vitamins and minerals. The main product of sea buckthorn processing is sea buckthorn oil, which is highly demanded.
Altai ranks first in Russia in the output of cheese and second in the output of butter. Breeding animals for furs is highly developed in Altai. Principle brunches of agriculture are crop production, livestock farming, fodder production, maral breeding and bee keeping. Livestock farming specializes in meat, milk, wool and eggs. Food processing industry is the second in the industrial structure of the region. There are dairy, meat processing, confectionery, baking, liquor, wine-making, sugar and cheese making enterprises in the Altai Region.
Altai has 10 higher educational institutions, a great number of secondary schools, lyceums, and gymnasiums. Representatives of more than 110 nationalities peacefully co-exist in Altai.
World famous is the Altai stone-cutting art. Artistic articles made by Kolyvan masters decorate many palaces and museums. The unique «Queen of Vases» is kept in the State Hermitage.
Favorable climate conditions and rich cultural and historical heritage enable successful development of tourist and leisure activities in the region. Additional opportunities for the development of this sector are provided by two special economic zones set up in Altai Territory - a tourist special economic zone “Biryuzovaya Katun” and the developing gambling zone “Sibirskaya Moneta”.
Altai gave birth to many talented people: Valerii Zolotukhin – an actor, Alexander Zalygin – a writer and editor, Ivan Pyryev – a film producer, Michael Evdokimov – an actor, Margarita Terekhova – an actress, Vassily Shukshin – a writer, actor and film producer. The name of the academician Michael Lisavenko who headed scientific research institute of Siberian gardening is well known all over the country too. Altai is the Motherland of Cosmonaut II German Titov.
Nikolai Rerikh viewed Altai as the most important geo-cosmic center of our planet.
Consolidate the vocabulary
I. Read the definition and give the keyword
a type of small brown grain used as food when boiled, and for making flour
a plant with blue flowers, used for making cloth and oil
a company that supplies milk and milk products
a black and yellow flying insect that makes honey and can sting you
a mud, that makes an illness go away
the official line that separates two countries, states, or areas, or the area close to this line
a male ruler of Russia before 1917
a large area of water surrounded by land
an area of countryside or land of a particular type
a place to which many people go for recreation, rest, where people go to improve their health
a person who catches or kills wild animals for food
a water filled with radioactive gas that is used in the treatment of diseases
a unit of weight equal to 1000 kilograms
cloth or thread made from the white hair of the plant
a plant that is eaten raw or cooked, such as a cabbage, a carrot, or peas
II. Replace the words in brackets with the corresponding English words.
1. The economy of the district is almost exclusively (сельскохозяйственный). 2. The Altai territory (расположен) in the South East of Western Siberia at an (равный ) distance from the four oceans. 2. There are about three thousands lakes (на территории) of the region. 3. In early 19th century famous Ural manufacturer Akinfiy Demidov constructed two (медеплавильный) plants - Kolyvansky and Barnaulsky. 4. There are considerable resources of (подземный) thermal and mineral waters. 5. Novosibirsk oblast is one of the most (промышленно развитый) regions in Siberia. 6. The production of (лен) plays an important role. 7. Crops and (овощи) are grown, milk and meat (скотоводство), poultry farming and (пчеловодство) are developed. 8. Altai (камнерезное искусство) is famous all over the world. 9. It produces millions of tons of (пшеница) and (рожь). 10. Belokurikha our (курорт) is well-known by its (радон) waters and (лечебная грязь).
Find the odd word out.
Silver, gold, marble, copper;
Rye, oats, wheat, cotton;
Baths, engines, boilers, tyres;
Underground water, stream, river, soil;
Bear, mammoth, deer, moose.
Answer the questions.
Where is Altai situated?
What is the total area of the Altai Region?
What is its population?
How many towns and districts are there in Altai?
What are the largest rivers?
What can you say about the nature of Altai?
What are the crops grown in Altai?
What are the main industries in the Altai territory?
Where can you take radon baths?
Where was the “Queen of Vases” made?
What Altai art is famous all over the world?
What is the present economic situation in the Altai territory?
What sectors of economy can be attractive for foreign investors?
Pair work
I. Read and learn the following dialogues:
Dialogue 1.
- Could you tell me a few words about Altai and its peculiarities?
- One of the peculiar features of Altai is that it is situated at an equal distance from the four oceans, at the crossing of ancient trade routes. Besides it was the place where people came in search for land and freedom. In the XVIII century the territory of Altai was «the Silver Treasury of Russia»
- How many towns are there in Altai?
- The region has 12 towns and the capital city is Barnaul.
- When was the Altai territory founded?
- As far as I remember, Barnaul became the center of the Altai territory in 1937. But in former times Altai was included in Tomsk province.
Dialogue 2.
- What is the climate like in the Altai Region?
- The climate is sharply continental with long and cold winter, which lasts as long as six months and hot summer due to which Altai is called «a Corner of Paradise»
- What can you say about the landscape of Altai?
- The landscape of Altai is varied. It’s hilly and mountainous in the east; the smooth plane surface turns into steppe in the west. The unique belt pine forests stretch for hundreds kilometers.
Dialogue 3.
- What places in Altai are connected with the development of the stone-cutting art ?
- Kolyvan and Lokot are the two places connected with the stone-cutting art. Vases made of Altai precious stones came into history of Russian decorative applied art.
- We know, Russia is a multinational country. Can we mean the same speaking of Altai?
- Yes, of course. Represantatives of more than 110 nationalities peacefully co-exist in Altai.
- What famous people did the Altai give birth to?
- Fortunately, Altai is the Motherland of many talented people such as German Titiov, Vassily Shukshin, Michael Evdokimov, Margarita Terekhova, Michael Kalashnikov, Robert Rozhdestvensky and others.
- Thank you, N. It was very kind of you to tell me about your region.
II. Ask your friend:
- где расположен Алтайский край;
- какая общая площадь Алтайского края;
- какова численность населения;
- какой город является столицей Алтайского края;
- с какими регионами граничит Алтай;
- какие реки протекают по территории края;
- какой ландшафт преобладает в регионе;
- есть ли в крае курорты;
- что производится на Алтае;
- почему Алтай называют житницей /кормилицей;
- какое искусство Алтая приобрело всемирную известность;
- родиной, каких знаменитостей является Алтай.
UNIT VI. AT THE MAP OF THE WORLD
WARM-UP ACTIVITIES
Look at the pictures.
think of as many words as possible related to the theme “Sightseeing”;
if you planning to visit some countries what would you be looking for – a place offering entertainment, or a place of historical interest.