Notes to the text:

1. the masters of their own destiny ['destini] — господарі своєї власної долі

2. to nominate ['nomineit] — висувати, пропонувати кандидата, назначати

(на посаду)

3. coat of arms [a:mz] — герб

4. emblazonment [im'bleizәnmәnt] — розпис (герба)

5. dynasty ['dinәsti] — династія

Ex.8. Find in the text English equivalents to the following words and word combinations.

1. довгоочікувана мрія; 2. однопалатний національний парламент; 3. виконавча влада; 4. законодавча влада; 5. схвалення; 6. об’єднати зусилля; 7. достаток; 8. спрямовувати; 9. ключовий виклик; 10. установлення.

Ex.9. Give Ukrainian equivalents to the following words.

1. seal a) блакить

2. to alternate b) сучасний

3. millennium c) століття

4. contemporary d) замінювати

5. azyre e) печатка

6. trident f) емблема

7. ancient g) тризуб

8. insignia h) древній

9. device i) емблема

10. heraldic j) геральдичний

Ex.10. Insert the suitable words or word combinations into the following sentences. The words are given below.

1. The Ukrainian political system has a….President.

2. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is the….authority.

3. Ukraine is divided into 24….and the Autonomic Republic Crimea.

4. The classic form of the Ukrainian trident is found on the…of Vladimir

the Great.

5. The archeological finds of….in Ukraine go back to the first century A.D.

Region; gold and silver coins; popularly elected; tridents; sole legislative.

Ex.11. Find in the text and put down the answers to the questions in Ukrainian.

1. When did the everlasting dream of the Ukrainian people come true?

2. What kind of political system is true in Ukraine?

3. What is a key challenge facing Ukraine?

4. What can you say about the national emblems of Ukraine?

Ex.12. Read and translate the following text orally without a dictionary. List its main points in Ukrainian.

“National flag of Ukraine. National Emblem of Ukraine. Ukrainian Anthem.”

The combination of the blue and yellow colours — “Ukrainian colours” — reaches far back into pre-Christian times. These colours predominated on the flags of the medieval Kyivan State and were prominent during the Cossack age.

First accepted as the National flag by the Supreme Ukrainian Council in Lviv in 1848, the blue-and-yellow flag met with popular approval in all parts of Ukraine at the beginning of the 20^th century.

On 22 March 1918 the blue-and-yellow flag was ratified as the national flag of the independent Ukrainian National Republic, and with the unification of all Ukrainian lands in 1919, it became the only Ukrainian flag. With the trident, the blue-and-yellow flag for many years symbolized the aspirations of the Ukrainian people for independence.

Following the Declaration of independence, the blue-and-yellow flag was adapted as the national flag of Ukraine by an Act of Parliament on 28 January, 1992.

The trident is an ancient symbol of the Ukrainian people, dating back more than 3000 years. In the 10^th centuiy it became the dynastic coat of arms of the Kyivan princes, including Volodymyr the Great and Yaroslav the Wise.

With the restoration of Ukrainian independence, the trident was adopted as the official emblem of the Ukrainian National Republic in 1918.

The trident together with the blue-and-yellow flag have served for many ge­nerations as the symbol of the Ukrainian struggle for independence.

On February 19, 1992, the trident once again be­ came the national emblem of Ukraine, symbolizing the united historical development of the Ukrainian people.

Tryzub (The Trident)

Tryzub, the Trident, and golden yellow and blue are the national symbols of Ukrainian people. Their appearance in the sovereign Ukrainian state was not accidental. Their roots trace back thousands of years. Even in the pre-Christian times the trident was revered as a magic sign, a protective charm. As a heraldic symbol it first appeared on the coins minted under prince Volodymyr Svyatoslavych. The golden-blue combination is also a very old tra­dition.