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Read and translate the text.
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CHITA
Chita is a city and the administrative centre of Zabaikalsky Krai. It is located at the confluence of the Chita and Ingoda Rivers. The golden domes of Chita's new cathedral invite travellers to explore this historic and attractive city.
The climate of our region is acutely continental with sunny and hot summers and severe, snowless winters. The fauna of Zabaikalye is very rich. We can find the bear, the wolf, the deer, the fox, the sable and other mammals of the taiga. There are several mineral springs in our region, such as the Kuka, the Molokovka and the Darasun. They are very curative.
The region was originally inhabited by local Mongolic and Chinese tribes. The settlement of Chita is known since 1653. It was founded by Pyotr Beketov's Cossacks. Chita was granted town status on July 11, 1851. After 1825, several of the Decembrists were exiled to Chita. Many of them were intellectuals and members of the middle class, and consequently their arrival had a positive effect. The well-educated exiles made an effort to educate the citizens of Chita and to pursue trade. Through these efforts, the city became a major trading centre in Siberia. Perhaps due to the influence of the early revolutionary exiles, Chita became a center for worker unrest in the early years of the 20th century. After the shooting of Gapon and his workers in St. Petersburg in January 1905, Chita became a centre for worker demonstrations, which led to declaring the "Chita Republic". Troops sent by the Nicholas II of Russia quickly crushed the new government and its leaders were severely punished on the slope of Titovskaya Hill. Between 1918 and 1920, Chita was occupied by the Japanese. From 1920 to 1922, Chita served as the capital of the Far Eastern Republic. From the 1930s to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Chita was a closed city. During this period, foreigners were prohibited from traveling to Chita, as were many Russians. The basis for the closing of the city was its position near China and military installations. During World War II, a significant number of Japanese soldiers were taken as prisoners of war and put to work in the construction industry. Since Chita has been famous for numerous examples of Japanese-inspired architecture, especially in the city centre. In 1945, Puyi, the last Emperor of China, and some of his associates were held prisoner in the city, in a former sanatorium for officers.
Chita is laid out in a grid pattern, which is rare in Russia. Architecturally, Chita is a mix of styles. There are many beautiful old and modern buildings in our city. The most famous one is brothers Shumovs’ palace. The characteristic feature of modern Chita is the fast development of the city and construction of multistory buildings.
The principal industries in the Chita region are mining, timber and wood-processing, machine building, engineering, food and light industries. The region is very rich in deposits of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, gold, molybdenum, beryllium, polymetallic ore, coal, graphite, magnetic ores, uranium and radon springs.
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Chita is home to several institutions of higher education: Zabaikal State University, Chita State Academy of Medicine, Zabaikal Railway Transport Institute. There are many cultural establishments in Chita, including cinema halls, clubs, two theatres (drama and puppet-show), dancing halls for young people, and 11 museums. Concerts are held in the Palace of Youth. The Memorial Complex is one of the places of interest in Chita. Many sport facilities are at citizen’s disposal. Wood resources of highland, blue waters of the Kenon Lake, beauty of rhododendrons create fascinating atmosphere around the city.
3.2. Fill in the gaps with the right variations.
1. Our city is located at the … of the Chita and Ingoda Rivers.
a) influence b) confluence c) place
2. Numerous places of interest invite … to explore this historic city.
a) citizens b) scientists c) travellers
3. The … of our region is acutely continental.
a) climate b) winter c) summer
4. There are several mineral … in our region.
a) water b) springs c) resources
5. The region was inhabited by local Mongolic and Chinese ….
a) troops b) people c) tribes
6. Several of the … were exiled to Chita
a) Decembrists b) poets c) gangsters
7. The well-educated … made an effort to educate the citizens.
a) people b) specialists c) exiles
8. The efforts of Decembrists helped the city to become a major … centre in Siberia.
a) scientific b) trading c) educational
9. Chita became a centre for … demonstrations.
a) worker b) student c) Decembrist
3.3. Agree or disagree with the following statements.
1. Due to the influence of the late revolutionary exiles, Chita became a center for worker unrest in the early years of the 20th century. 2. Chita was occupied by the Chinese. 3. From 1920 to 1922, Chita was the capital of the Far Eastern Republic. 4. From the 1930s to the dissolution of the Soviet Union foreigners were forbidden to travel to Chita. 5. Chita has numerous examples of Japanese-inspired architecture. 6. Architecturally, Chita is built in a single style. 7. There are many beautiful old and modern buildings in Chita. 8. The principal industries in the Chita region are mining, timber and wood-processing, machine building, engineering, food and heavy industries. 9. There are many deposits of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, gold, molybdenum, beryllium in our region. 10. There are no radon springs in Zabaikalye.
3.4. This is telegram without spaces and punctuation marks. Your task is to decode it.
| TEREARESEVERALINSTITUTIONSOFHIGHEREDUCATIONINCHITATHEOLDESTONEISZABAIKALSTATEHUMANITARIANPEDAGOGICALUNIVERSITYTHEREAREMANYCINEMAHALLSCLUBSTWOTHEATRESDANCINGHALLSFORYOUNGPEOPLEANDMUSEUMSINTHECITYCONCERTSAREHELDINTHEPALACEOFYOUTHMANYSPORTFACILITIESAREATOURDISPOSALBEAUTYOFRHODODENDRONSCREATESFASCINATINGATMOSPHEREAROUNDTHECITY. |
3.5. Answer the following questions.
1. Where is Chita located? 2. What climate is for Zabaikalsky Krai typical? 3. What mineral springs of the region do you know? 4. When was Chita founded? 5. Do you know the names of Decembrists who were exiled to Chita? 6. Who made an effort to educate the Chita citizens? 7. Which events led to declaring the "Chita Republic"? 8. What is Titovskaya Hill famous for? 9. Why was Chita a closed city? 10. What is the characteristic feature of modern Chita? 11. What are the principal industries in the Chita region? 12. What creates fascinating atmosphere around the city?
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Oral practice
4.1. Many students of your group came from other towns and settlements. They don’t know your city very well. You decided to show them the city. Each of you should propose only one place of interest. Give your reasons and present information on:
1. what the name of the place of interest is;
2. where the place of interest is situated;
3. what important historic events are connected with this place;
4. when it was founded;
5. what means of transport are you going to take to get there;
All members of the group are supposed to vote for five places only. The results of voting will help you to make the route of your tour.
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