The hermitage

The State Hermitage in St. PETERSBURG is one of the largest museum in the world. Fabulous treasures are gathered in the Museum. It contains the better specimens of culture and art.

Within the past few decades the Hermitage has become one of the country’s most important centres of art study. The results of the research work are published in the form of books, articles, periodicals, etc.

Most helpful in the Museum research work in the Hermitage Library which contains about 400 000 books, and is one of the largest among art libraries.

At the present moment the exhibitions of the Hermitage occupy four buildings.

The Winter Palace is the oldest of the buildings occupied by the Museum today. Erected in 1754-1762 to the design of the architect Rastrelli, it ranks among the most wonderful architectural monuments of the city. Later in 1840 it was reconstructed by the architects Stasov and Bryullov.

The most notable rooms of the Winter Palace are the imposing State rooms among them is the Small Throne Room or Peter’s Room, created in the 19-th century in memory of Peter I.

I. Translate the sentences:

The Department of the History of Russian Culture founded in 1941 is the youngest in the Hermitage. 2. The Hermitage collection of works by the great Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn is the richest in the world. 3. The building of the Winter Palace is not higher than other ones on the embankment of the Neva. 4. Anything you can do he can do better. 5. Art is much easier to get hold of* these days.

*to get hold of - достичь, получить.

II. Complete the sentences:

1. Mathematics is (difficult) than History. 2. Tom is the (bad) pupil in the class. 3. My mother gets up (early) than all in our family. 4. St. Petersburg is the (beautiful) city in our country. 5. This car is (expensive) than that. 6. It was (hot) this year than last year. 7. Mary is (thin) than Ann. 8. A lion is (dangerous) than an elephant. 9. Dolphins are (intelligent) animals of all after man. 10. Ben is the (good) athlete of all.

Additional reading

I. Translate the text, pay attention to the word “IT”.

It is difficult to imagine modern life without a telephone. It is a beautiful instrument of interconnection which enables people to speak to one another over great distances. At present it is as easy to speak across a continent or even overseas as it is to speak to a next door neighbour.

We are usually making long distance calls with the help of an operator, although in some cities it is possible to dial directly.

Telephones are useful and convenient for many reasons. People like to speak with their families and friends, and business organizations can’t carry on their activities without telephones. The telephone really proves its usefulness when there is a fire or when a person is ill. The first thing of which we think then is “where is the nearest telephone or telephone booth?”

as easy as - так же легко ... как и ...

II. Read and translate the text. Speak about your own city.

HELSINKI - DAUGHTER OF THE BALTIC

Helsinki is a modern city. Here is tourist does not come face to face with the past as he does in many old European capitals. Yet there are areas in Helsinki which give a genuine and comprehensive picture of the atmosphere and architecture of the past.

HISTORY. Great fires destroyed the old wooden Helsinki many times, but it was always rebuilt. The only remains of the trade and seafaring town that Swedish King Gustav Vasa founded in 1550 at the mouth of River Vantaa are the foundations of a church. The massive walls of the Suomenlinna fortress date from 18-th century. Helsinki became Finland’s capital in 1812. Many the city’s historically interesting sights date from the beginning of the 19-th century, when the administrative centre was built around the Senate Square. Helsinki had a population of 4000 in 1812. At the turn of the century the figure was 79000 and it is just over a million at present.

III. Read and translate the text. Pay attention to the word “ONE”.