Notes to the text:

to get acquainted [ә'kweintid] with smth. — знайомитись, ознайомитись з чимось

iron ore extraction — добуток залізної руди

transformation from planned-centralized to market-controlled — трансформація

(перехід) від планово-централізованої до ринково-регулюючої

fertile chernozem soils — родючий чорноземний грунт

Europe’s “granary” — “житниця” Європи

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

combinations.

1. Ресурси; 2. визначати; 3. дані; 4. займати; 5. виробляти; 6. обладнання;

7. доступ; 8. встановлення; 9. передумови; 10. чорна металургія.

Ex.9. Match the English words with their Ukrainian equivalents.

1. to appear a) поверхність

2. economic potential b) для порівняння

3. to carry out c) займати

4. for comparison d) знайомитись з чимось

5. surface e) економічний потенціал

6. coal mining f) залізна дорога

7. concrete g) бетон

8. to be connected with smth. h) вугледобування

9. railroad i) взаємопов’язані процеси

10. interralated j) з’являтися

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

1. Ukraine is situated in the….of Europe.

2. In the south the country has….to the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

3. Historically the following….determined the development of Ukrainian lands.

4. Present-day independent Ukraine has a….potential to develop its economy.

5. Ukraine’s….deposits are considered the richest in the world.

Access; considerable; geographical centre; iron and manganese ore; two factors.

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

1. What economic potential does Ukraine have?

2. What positions does the country take in Europe?

3. What factors determined the development of Ukrainian lands?

4. What are the coal deposits in Ukraine?

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

The Biggest Ukrainian Cities

Kyiv, now the capital of Ukraine, stretches on the high hills along the Dnie­per, rivaling the oldest and most charming cities of Europe. Every epoch left mark here. Even the great Tatar invasion that shook the civilized world in the 13th century was unable to wipe it off the face of the earth. Beginning in the 17th century, Kyiv once again turned into a leading spiritual and cultural cen­tre. Glorious pages of the past and staggering current realities seem to have merged into a single, inimitable whole of this ancient, yet ever so youthful city.

Lviv — a scenic city in the west of Ukraine was founded by Prince Daniel of Halych (Danylo Halytsky). Historically, it is first mentioned in 1256. For centuries it was repeatedly sacked by foreign aggressors, but time and again it was rebuilt and its treasures restored by craftsmen, plowmen, architects, and men of arts and letters. The population of Lviv is 806 thousand people.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's leading power engineering, agricultural machinery, transport and instrument-making centre. Founded in the early 1650s, it was the capital of Ukraine since 1919 till 1934. Today it is the country's second largest city. Its population is 1575 thousand people.

Dnipropetrovsk (prior to 1926, Yekaterinoslav), a large industrial center in Ukraine. Founded 1776, today this city is known for developed ferrous me­tallurgy, complex machine-building, metalworking and chemical industries. It is the venue of "Pivdenmash/KB Pivdenne" (Southern Machine-building plant) Europe's biggest aerospace manufacturing and developing complex.

Odesa, a very special city is a true gem on the Black Sea coast. Founded in 1794 it received its current name in 1795. It is now an administrative regional centre operating advanced machinebuilding, metalworking, chemical, petroche­mical and other industries. Odesa is also known as a large seaport. Since 1978 a ferry line linking the port of Illichivsk (not tar from Odesa) with Varna in Bulgaria has been operational.

Well known balneological resorts (Arkadia, Kuyalnyk, etc.) are lo­cated in the city and outskirts. Its population is 1060 thousand people.

Kyiv is one the oldest cities in Europe. Its monuments of past are perfectly integrated with modern buildings, attractive hotels, cinemas, TV tower, Metro stations, banks and administrative buildings.

As one takes a bus ride through Kreshchatic or strolls in the shade of trees it is difficult to believe that ages ago this was the sight of a deep valley covered with primeval forests and numerous ravines. Actually it was the valley called Kreshchataya, which later became Kreshchatic, the main street of the capital.

The valley first began to resemble a street at the beginning of the last cen­tury when one-storeyed wooden houses were built, later on stone buildings were erected. During the Great Patriotic war Kreshchatic was completely destroyed by the Nazis. As soon as the city was liberated (November 6, 1943) the restoration of the main street was begun.

The entire architectural conception envisaged a combination of decorative facades with an abundance of trees and shrubs, sunlight and space.

In 1037 St. Sophia Cathedral, an outstanding monument of ancient Rus and world culture, was built on the site of the 1036 battle against the Pechenegs in which the Kyiv warriors were victorious. It was founded during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise.

For centuries this remarkable building, the embodiment of the talent and assiduity of hundreds of thousands of its nameless builders, has astonished the vision with its magnificence and splendour. Its appearance has changed many times as the result of reconstruction. The interior decorations of the Cathedral are exceptionally valuable and add its unique architectural forms. Numerous mosaics and frescoes have been discovered under the coating of later orna­mentation and restored to their former beauty. The extensive use of fresco pain­ting in decorative works show the great skill of the painters of the time.

Leaving St. Sophia Cathedral through the gateway that is right under the Belfry, one comes out into Sophiyivsky Square. It is bordered to the right by a strip of trees and shrubs while in the centre of the square there is the mo­nument to Bohdan Khmelnytsky, the 17th century outstanding Ukrainian sta­tesman and military leader. Being a far-sighted statesman, Bohdan Khmel­nytsky sought reunification with the Russian state, which was the Ukraine's only ally at that time. At the end of 1653 the Zemsky Sobor adopted a decision to reunite the two countries. This decision was ratified in 1654 at the historical Pereyaslav Rada. That's why Bohdan Khmelnytsky is considered to be a na­tional hero of the Ukrainian people. The monument to Bohdan Khmelnytsky was built in 1888 by sculptor Mukhailo Mikeshin. It shows the eminent sta­tesman and soldier on horse-back pointing his mace towards Moscow.

As Kyiv's history is full of dramatic events and heroic deeds, there are many other places of interest in it such as the Golden Gates, Andryevskaya Church, the monument to Prince Volodymyr, the Kyiv-Pechersky Monas­tery, Vydubetsky Monastery, Askold's Grave and others.

Ex.13. Discussion Points

1. Geographical Position of Ukraine.

2. Ukraine’s Economy

3. The Historical places of Kyiv.