Text 6 Coffeehouses and Taverns

I Retell the text.

The coffeehouse has been a Viennese institution for three centuries. According to legend, the first such establishment opened with an inventory of Turkish coffee beans, part of the booty (добыча, награбленное добро) from the Siege (осада) of Vienna in 1683. There are a variety of coffees and an assortment of supplements such as cream or brandy to choose from. The Viennese have turned the coffeehouse into a sort of second living room, where they not only drink their beverage and consume pastries but also read periodicals, play cards and chat with friends. There were once famous literary ant theatrical cafés where artists and famous personalities held court; still flourishing is the Café Demel, a true custodian (хранитель) of the past. Also pe­culiar to Vienna are the taverns in which is served the young, sour wine – Heuriger – of the previous year harvest. Some of the most famous taverns are in the outlying dis­tricts of Vienna, such as Grinzing, Nussdorf and Sievering and they are identified by evergreen branches hung over the entrance. The wine drinking is accompanied with music, usually played by a trio of instruments, including those such as a fiddle (скрипка), accordion, guitar or zither (цитра).

II Work in pairs. Make up dialogues about Vienna using the following to­pics:

• Vienna as a capital city.

• Vienna’s architecture.

• Transportation in Vienna.

• Health, Welfare and Education in Vienna.

• Music and Theatre.

• Coffeehouses and Taverns.

UNIT IV TRAVELLING TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Text 1 PRAGUE

I Read and translate the text. Use a dictionary if necessary.

One of the finest cities of Europe, Prague (Czech: Praha), the capital of the Czech Republic and that nation’s major economic and cultural center, lies at the heart of the Continent. The city has a rich architectural heritage that reflects both the uncertain currents of history in Bohemia and an urban life extending back more that 1000 years. The physical attractions and landmarks of the city are many. Among the finest is the Charles Bridge (Karlův most), which stands astride the Vltava River. The winding course of the Vltava, with its succession of bridges and changing vistas, contrasts with the ever-present backdrop of the great castle of Hradčany (Prague Castle), which dominates the left-bank region of the city from behind massive walls set high on a hill.

The narrow streets and little taverns and restaurants of the older quarters contrast with the broad sweep of Wenceslas Square and modern parks and housing developments, while the great 18th century Baroque palaces have their own elegance and splendour. Seen from the surrounding hills, the many church towers make up a unique perspective, giving Prague its description as the «city of a hundred spires». This architectural harmony was enhanced by post-1945 planning, which preserved the ancient core of the city as a major monument and carefully supervised all modern buildings.

Prague is famous for its cultural life. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived there, and his Prague Symphony and Don Giovanni were first performed in the city. In addition, the lyric music of the great Czech composers Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and Leoš Janáček is commemorated each year in a spring music festival. The U kalicha («At the Chalice») beer parlour, which is still popular with local residents and tourists alike, provided the setting for the humorously antiauthoritarian activities of Schweik, immortalized by the novelist Jaroslav Hašek in The Good Soldier Schweik. The writings of Franz Kafka, dwelling in a different way on the dilemmas and predicaments of modern life, also seem indissolubly linked with life of the city.

Prague has a homogeneous population. There is a small Slovak community, but the overwhelming majority of residents are Czechs. The natural rate of population increase is very small. A tendency toward small families is a reflection of both difficulties in housing and increased participation by both parents in the workforce.

II Answer the questions:

1 Why is Prague considered to be one of the finest cities of Europe and the whole world?

2 What are the physical attractions of the city?

3 Prague is «the city of a hundred spires», isn’t it? Why?

4 What is the cultural heritage of Prague?

5 What is the reason of Prague’s poor growth of population?

III Summarize the key issues of the text.