4. Minsk.

Words and expressions

1. the capital

2.population

3. area

4. was founded

5. the city changed greatly

6. block of flats

7. square

8. plants and factories

9. to produce

10. centre of science

11. a circus

12. scientific

13. narrow ( wide)

14. one-storied houses

15. workshop

16. the Great Patriotic War

17. ruined to the ground

18. a leading industrial centre

19. a big traffic centre

20. two Underground lines

21. to be proud of

Minsk is the capital of the Republic of Belarus and its political, administrative, economic, scientific, industrial and cultural centre. Minsk has a population of about 1.8 million people. The city stands on the River Svisloch and its area is of 200 square km. Minsk was founded in 1067. Before the Revolution Minsk was a small provincial town with narrow streets, one-storied houses, factories and workshops. After the Revolution the city changed greatly. Minsk became the capital in 1913. Blocks of flats, green wide streets, beautiful squares, new plants and factories appeared in the capital.

Foreign invaders destroyed Minsk many times over the centuries. In the years of the Great Patriotic War it was practically ruined to the ground. After the war Minsk was rebuilt and it is more beautiful today than it used to be. The capital has become a well-built city with a lot of beautiful buildings and houses, wide and straight avenues and streets, big and modern plants and factories.

Minsk today is a leading industrial centre of the republic. It has a powerful industry. In the capital there are many plants and factories which produce tractors, TV sets, radios, motorcycles, bicycles, heavy trucks, watches, refrigerators, computers, textiles, footwear, food and other goods.

Minsk is also a city of science, students and schoolchildren. The centre of science in the Republic is the Academy of Sciences, which was opened in 1929 in Minsk. There are 5 000 doctors and candidates of science among Minsk scientists. Researches carried out here are in the different fields of modern science. Minsk has about 20 state higher educational institutions.

The cultural life in the capital is very interesting. There are about 10 theatres, some concert halls, a circus, a lot of cinemas, many palaces of culture, libraries, clubs and other cultural centres in the city.

There are many large parks, gardens and museums in our capital. Parks and gardens make a fifth of the city’s territory.

Minsk is a big traffic centre too. Thousands of cars, buses, trolley buses, trams go along its wide and beautiful streets. The first Underground line was built in Minsk in 1984 and there are two Underground lines here now.

In 1974 Minsk became a Hero-City. Our capital was awarded this title for its heroism and courage during the Great Patriotic War.

Although its history goes back more than 900 years, Minsk is actually a young and modern city. We are proud of our capital, which is beautiful at any time of the year and is growing and changing every year.