Unit I Text one

Translate in writing the text into Russian. Pay attention to the meaning of the underlined words.

The End of the Middle Ages. A Century of Paradox

The XV-th century was an age of contrasts which are reflected in the contradictory views expressed about it by historians. To some it has appeared a period of general decline, of ruined towns and political chaos. Others have pointed to the real increase of prosperity of the mass of the people, to the growth of trade and industry and to the development of parliamentary institutions in the period from 1399 to 1450. The key to the proper understanding of the age is that both views are correct but neither complete: that while feudal relations and the feudal mode of production were decaying, bourgeois relations and the bourgeois mode of production were developing rapidly.

The decline of feudalism did not only affect the baron­age and agriculture, it affected also the towns and the guild organization. The Black Death and the heavy taxation entailed by the Hundred Years’ War dealt a heavy blow at the chartered towns. An important exception to this decline was the continued progress of London and a few great ports like Bristol.

The heavy burden of taxation and the rigid guild restrictions in the chartered towns had the effect of driving industry outside them into the village and suburbs. The weaving industry in particular, growing rapidly at this time, developed outside the towns and outside the guild organization. An important part was played by one of the main technical innovations of the Middle Ages, the application of water power to fueling – an essential process whereby cloth was cleaned and thickened. Towards the end of the XIV-th century mills began to be met up in new centres higher in the valleys, where a better water force could be obtained. Gradually weavers were attracted to the areas where the mills were working. For all these reasons then, while many of the older towns were in a state of decay, new centres of production were springing up in villages, some of which in time became themselves towns.

Commentary

Различные функции слова it:

1. В качестве самостоятельного члена предложения it выступает:

1) в функции формального подлежащего безличного предложения типа It is winter. It rains. It is cold.

2) в функции знаменательного подлежащего: как личное местоимение со значением он, она, оно и как указательное местоимение со значением это.

В качестве вводного или предваряющего слова (anticipatory it) it выступает:

1) в функции формального подлежащего в предложении с логическим подлежащим, выраженным инфинитивом, герундием, инфинитивным или герундиальным комплексом и придаточным предложением со сказуемым типа

It is necessary / possible / wrong

It is supposed / believed / expected

It is likely

It seems

В этих случаях it не переводится.

Не said it was possible for an agreement to be reached. Он сказал, что достичь соглашения возможно.

2) в функции формального дополнения в тех случаях, когда за глаголом типа to make, to think, to consider, to find, to feel считать, to believe полагать и т. п. стоит сложное дополнение. Слово it следует непосредственно за глаголом. На русский язык не переводится.

Не felt it his duty to help the Government.

Он считал своей обязанностью помочь правительству.

Britain finds it difficult to make European commitments in an election year. Англия считает трудным брать на себя новые обязательства по общему рынку в год всеобщих выборов.

3) в эмоционально-усилительном обороте