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I. Study the notes after the text, read and translate the sentences they are used in.
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I. Study the notes after the text, read and translate the sentences they are used in.
II. Try to explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations: pioneer-settlers, merchants, administrative center, industrial center, sight, animal kingdom, Puppet theatre.
III. Answer the following questions:
1. When was Ulan-Ude founded?
2. What was the former name of the town?
3. Where was the town situated?
4. What was the population of Verhneudinsk busy with?
5. What is the territory of Ulan-Ude?
6. What districts are there in Ulan-Ude?
7. What are the most important sights of the city?
8. Where are the oldest buildings in Ulan-Ude situated?
9. What are the most popular museums in Ulan-Ude?
10. How many theatres are there in the city?
11. What educational institutions are there in Ulan-Ude?
IV. Imagine you have come to international youth camp. You are at the first meeting where everybody tells about the place he (she) has come from. Tell about:
– history of your city;
– the most popular sights of the city;
– your city as a cultural center.
V. Try to comment the meaning of the following proverbs:
East or west home is best.
There is no place like home.
Let’s talk about your native place:
14. What country are you from?
15. Where do you live?
16. Is your town large or small?
17. Which is the main street in your town?
18. Who is it named after?
19. What places of interest are there in your town?
20. Is your town a cultural center?
21. Are there any educational institutions in your town?
22. What museums are there in your town?
23. Is nature at your native place beautiful?
24. Are there any famous rivers, lakes, mountains at your native place?
25. Are there any everyday services in the town?
Grammar exercises
I. Open the brackets using comparative or superlative degrees of adjectives.
1. This town is much (large) than mine.
2. This monument is (famous) in the town.
3. The building of hotel «Buryatia» is the (high) in Ulan-Ude.
4. Lake Baikal is the (large) lake in the world.
5. Lake Baikal is (deep) than the White Sea.
6. The Sayans are (high) than the Barguzin mountains.
7. The Selenga is (long) river in Buryatia.
8. The days in winter are (short) than in summer.
9. The Museum of Nature is the (popular) in our town.
10. The Opera and Ballet House is the (striking) building in Ulan-Ude.
II. Translate into English.
Я живу недалеко от Москвы. Население моего города около 300 000 жителей. Мой город индустриальный. Здесь развита химическая и легкая промышленность. В городе есть три вуза, драматический театр, несколько музеев. Кроме того, у нас есть Институт культуры, Технологический университет и несколько колледжей. В городе имеются торговые комплексы, культурный центр, школы, детские сады, больницы, административные знания.
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Text III
The Symbols of Buryatia
Read the text and say if all people in Buryatia know its symbols. Use dictionary if necessary.
The state insignia of Buryatia shows three circles in the same colours as the three stripes of the flag of the republic. The circle means a horseshoe, the globe and the sun. A horseshoe means happiness. The sun means the idea of progress and life. In the centre of the circle you can see a picture, which represents spiritual and geographical symbols of Buryatia. Against the background of the blue white waves of Baikal and three mountains there are the golden signs of the Moon, the Sun and a home hearth looking like three tongues of life. Soyombo (a Buddhist sign symbolizing three colours of a rainbow) expresses a high level of the spirit of the people of Buryatia, pureness of thoughts and intentions. The pictures of the Moon and the Sun and the Fire are typical for the central Asian region. They show that Buryatia is a republic situated in the East of Russia.
At the bottom of the insignia there is a blue ribbon. It is called Khadak, a symbol of hospitality, with the name of the republic in the Buryat and Russian languages.
There are three stripes in the flag of Buryatia: blue, white and yellow, which symbolize the sky, clearness and eternity. Blue means the colour of the crystal pure Baikal water and the colour of high peaceful heaven. This colour symbolizes truth, eternity and constancy. White is the colour of stability, unity and chastity of the people. It symbolizes the ideas of prosperity, peace and tranquility. Yellow symbolizes the Buddhist belief, which means spiritual beginnings, hope and belief, mercy and compassion.
I. Read the sentences and say if the statements are right or wrong.
1. The state insignia of Buryatia shows five circles.
2. The circles are in the same colours as the three stripes of the flag of Buryatia.
3. A horseshoe means the idea of progress and life.
4. The sun means happiness.
5. Soyombo expresses a high level of the spirit of the people of Buryatia, pureness of thoughts and intentions.
6. The pictures of the Moon and the Sun and the Fire are typical for Eastern countries.
7. Khadak is a symbol of hospitality.
8. There are six stripes in the flag of Buryatia.
9. Blue colour symbolizes truth, eternity and constancy.
10. White symbolizes the Buddhist belief
11. Yellow symbolizes the ideas of prosperity, peace and tranquility.
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