1. Practice reading the following words and word combinations. Find Russian equivalents.
2. Translate into English
3. Answer the questions.
4. Read the text. Translate. Answer the questions.
5. Read and translate the words before the text. Fill in the blanks with the proper words. You must use each word only once.
6. Read the conversation and answer the questions.
7. Find in the text (ex. 6) appropriate English phrases for the following:
8. Act out the following situation:
1. Practice reading the following words and word combinations. Find Russian equivalents.
Map карта
Country страна
Continental континентальный
State государство
Republic республика
Power сила
Nation нация
Population население
Area местность
Territory территория
Region область
2. Translate into English
1 This country is situated in the eastern part of Europe and northern part of Asia.
2 There are a lot of different countries on the map.
3 The territory of Belarus is divided into six regions (‘oblasts’).
4 The territory of Russia is washed by the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
3. Answer the questions.
1 What country are you from?
I am fr om Belarus.
2 What is the population of your country?
The population of my country is about 9.5 mln people.
3 Are there any big rivers and lakes in your country?
Yes, there are some. The most famous rivers are the Dnieper, Neman, Western Dvina, Prypiat and the largest lake is the Naroch.
4. Read the text. Translate. Answer the questions.
The official name of our country is the Republic of Belarus. It’s total area is 207,600 km2. It is situated nearly in the extreme western part of the East-European Plain within the basins of the Dnieper, the Western Dvina and the Upper Neman. It borders on Russia in the north and east, on Lithuania and Latvia in the north-west, on Poland in the west, and on the Ukraine in the south. Belarus stretches for 560 kilometres fr om south to north and for 650 kilometres fr om east to west.
Its population is about 9.5 min people. 76% of the population live in towns and cities.
Belarus is situated on a plain rising to hills, the highest of which is Mt. Dzerzhinskaya reaching 350 metres above sea level. There are more than 3,000 rivers in the country. The longest are the Dnieper, Neman, Western Dvina, Prypiat, Berezina, Sozh and Vilia. Belarus is called a lake-country. There are about 10,800 lakes here noted for their great depth, transparent water and beautiful scenery. The largest of them is Lake Naroch.
The largest forests in Belarus are called pushchas.
Belarus has a temperate-continental climate with moderate features which is characteristic for Central Europe, with hot summers, long, cold winters and very distinct seasons.
The capital of our country is Minsk. In accordance with the political division, Belarus consists of six regions: Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno and Mogilev regions.
The Republic of Belarus is a democratic social state with the rule of law. The state power is exercised on the basis of its division on legislative, executive and judicial. Belarus is a presidential republic. The president of the Republic of Belarus is a head of state. In accordance with the Constitution the legislative body is the Parliament. The executive power is exercised by the Government. The Council of Ministers is the central body of state administration. The local administration is carried through the system of local executive and administrative bodies. The judicial power belongs to the courts.
The most developing branches of industry are motor-car construction, machine-tool construction and bearing production, electrical industry, oil mining and processing, production of synthesized fiber, fertilizers, pharmaceutical industry, production of building materials, light and food industries.
Natural conditions of the Republic of Belarus let successfully produce such highly remunerative kinds of production as milk, beef, pork, meat and eggs of poultry, grain, potatoes, long-fibred flax, white beet and so on.
Our country is famous for its people who are hospitable, tolerant, hard-working and friendly.
Официальное название нашей страны - Республика Беларусь. Общая площадь составляет 207 600 км2. Страна расположена практически в крайней западной части Восточно-Европейской равнины в бассейнах Днепра, Западной Двины и Верхнего Неман. Граничит с Россией на севере и востоке, с Литвой и Латвией на северо-западе, с Польшей на западе и с Украиной на юге. Беларусь простирается на 560 километров с юга на север и на 650 километров с востока на запад.
Население Беларуси составляет около 9,5 млн человек. 76% населения проживает в городах и поселках.
5. Read and translate the words before the text. Fill in the blanks with the proper words. You must use each word only once.
development / devastated / geographical / Duchy / disadvantage / cultural / wars / events / aggressions / principalities / invasion / century / conquered / occupation / freedom / citizen / Belarusians
The advantageous (1) __ geographical __ position – on the cross-roads fr om east to west and from north to south – more than once turned into (2) __ disadvantage __. Belarus was the arena of many (3) _wars___, invasions and (4) aggressions ____. In the 11th century the Tatar- Mongols attacked Polotsk and Turov (5) __ principalities _ in the east and south. In the 13th (6) _ century ___ the Crusaders invaded Belarus from the west.
6. Read the conversation and answer the questions.
- Wh ere do you come from, Nick?
- Well, actually, I come from a place called Gorsk.
- Mmm … Sounds great. But I’ve never heard of it.
- Many people haven’t. It is in the north of our Republic. It was a small, sleepy sort of place a hundred years ago. No industry, no enterprises.
- And now it’s changed, hasn’t it?
- Oh, yes, now it’s a city. The most developing branches of industry are motor-car construction, machine-tool construction and bearing production, electrical industry, oil mining and processing, production of synthesized fiber, fertilizers, pharmaceutical industry, production of building materials, light and food industries.
- Well, I wish I had a chance to visit your country!
- As for me Belarus is a very beautiful country. I’d like to invite you there.
- Sounds like a great idea! Moreover, I made up my mind and I want to become a programmer and to enter a university next year. Can you help me to choose educational establishment? I’ve heard a lot about high quality education in your country.
- Sure! Undoubtedly you have made a great choice! And how are you going to get here?
- By plane. It is much faster than by bus or by car, and I’ll book tickets in advance.
- Let me know, and I’ll meet you at the airport.
1 Wh ere is Gorsk situated? Gorsk is situated in the north of our Republic.
2 Is it an industrial city? Yes, it is.
3 Wh ere was Nick invited? Nick was invited to Minsk.
7. Find in the text (ex. 6) appropriate English phrases for the following:
1 Я полагаю, что Горск это очень красивый город. I believe that Gorsk is a very beautiful city.
2 Наш город известен как город науки и студентов. Our city is known as a city of science and students.
3 Он на севере нашей республики. It is in the north of our Republic.
8. Act out the following situation:
Speak to your friend about the industry of Belarus.
- Wh ere do you come from, Ann?
- Well, in fact, I am from a country called Belarus.
- Mmm … Sounds nice. But I’ve never been there.
- It is situated in the heart of Europe. It borders on Russia in the north and east, on Lithuania and Latvia in the north-west, on Poland in the west, and on the Ukraine in the south. in the north of our Republic. It used to be a small dependent country. Total absence of any plants and factories.
- And now it’s changed, hasn’t it?
- Oh, yes, now it’s a developed country. . It’s expanded a lot – new shops, factories, offices, steel works, a lot of heavy industry round about.
- Well, every town is growing now. One day the whole world is going to become one great city.
- I believe that Gorsk is a very beautiful city. But I’d like to invite you to Minsk.
- Great! I visited our capital when I was six. It has changed a lot since then, hasn’t it?
- Naturally! You will be impressed. I will show you Minsk, and we’ll spend a lot
