Билет № 5

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The Czar Cannon

Chronicles suggest that Old Russia began to use cannon in 1382 when Moscow was besieged by the troops of the Tatar khan Tokhtamysh.

Casting in Moscow developed rapidly during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Foreigners were impressed by the large number of guns and their high quality.

The Moscow Kremlin has accumulated a rich collection of early Russian and cuptured guns. One of these, the famous Czar Cannon (Czar Pushka), was cast in 1586 by Chokhov. In the 16^th century the Czar Cannon was one of the largest guns in the world, with a caliber of 890 mm, a weight of about 400 tons, a barrel with an outer diameter of 1.2 meters and a length of 5.34 meters.

In old days the gun was often called Russian Drobovik, which means grapeshot since it was meant to fire grapeshot.

The Czar Cannon has never been in action. It has never fired a single shot. But it was undoubtedly cast as a combat gun and was meant for defence of the Moscow Kremlin.

On the stock’s sides there are eight cast clamps for ropes to be fastened to when the gun was moved. Above the right clamp in front there is a moulded inscription saying “By God’s mercy, Czar and Grand Prince Fyodor Ivanovich, sovereign and autocratic ruler of all of great Russia,” and a moulded image of the crowned Czar Fyodor on horseback with a scepter in one hand.

During its lifetime of four centuries the Czar Cannon has changed its location several times. When construction of the Palace of Congress started on the Kremlin grounds in 1960, the Czar Cannon was moved close to the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles on Ivanovskaya Square, where it remains to this day.

Though huge, the cannon does not look terrifying or ready to strike at enemy. Its appearance is amazingly peaceful. Yet there is no mistake about its concealed might.

to besiege - осаждать

to cast - отливать

grapeshot - крупная картечь

stock - cтвол

clamp - скоба, зажим

to mould - отливать форму, формовать

inscription - надпись

concealed - скрытый

Зав. кафедрой Полушина Л.Н.

Билет № 6

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How the potato turned out to be in England

Sir Walter Raleigh, an English statesman and navigator, who lived in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, sailed across the sea to America in search of new lands and introduced the potato from America into England. Shortly after getting the first crop, he sent some to a friend. Next spring, the friend planted the potatoes, which soon gave an excellent crop. When the «potato-plums», as he called them, were ripe, he took some of them to his cook, who fried them in butter, and put sugar and cinnamon over them. In this condition they were set on the dinner table as a great rarity.

The balls, however, tasted unpleasant, and it was decided that the fruit could not ripen in the cold English climate. The gardener was there­fore ordered to pull up the plants and burn them, and he did so.

It happened that the gentleman stepped on one of the baked potatoes as it lay in the ashes. When it broke open he noticed that it was white and had an agreeable smell. He tasted and found it very tasty,

The proper method of cooking the new vegetable was soon learnt, and in a short time it became a universal favourite.

Зав. кафедрой Полушина Л.Н.