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The United States of America.
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PART II
R E A D E R
Тексты для чтения (I, II семестр).
TEXT 1
Russia.
Once the preeminent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) has been an independent country since the dissolution of the union in December 1991. The official name of the country is the Russian Federation now. With an area of 17 075 400 square kilometres, Russia is the world’s largest country, covering almost twice the territory of either the United States or China. It ranks sixth in the world in population, following China, India, the United States, Indonesia and Brazil. The great majority of the people are Russians but there also are some 70 smaller national groups living within its borders.
On its northern and eastern sides Russia is bounded by the Arctic and Pacific oceans, and it has small frontages in the northwest on the Baltic Sea at St. Petersburg and at the detached Russian oblast (province) of Kaliningrad. On the south it borders on North Korea, China, Mongolia and the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia. On the southwest and west it borders on the former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia and Estonia, as well as Finland and Norway. Kaliningrad (formerly a part of what was once East Prussia annexed in 1945) abuts Poland and Lithuania.
The capital of the Russian Federation is Moscow, which was also the capital of the Soviet Union.
Historically, the territory of European Russia was the core of the expanding Russian state suffered from attacks ranging from that of the Mongol hordes in the 13th century to the Nazi invasion of World War II.
This historical heritage together with its vast area and natural wealth, which permitted the development of a large-scale industrial economy, gave Russia a unique place of leadership among the former Soviet republics. Its brooding landscapes and the complexities of the prerevolutionary society inspired the prose and music of such giants of world culture as A.Chekhov, A.Pushkin, L.Tolstoy and P.I.Tchaikovsky, while the October Revolution (of 1917) and the vast changes it brought were reflected in the works of such noted figures as V.Mayakovsky, M.Gorky, M.Sholokhov and A.Solzhenitsyn.
I. Ответьте на вопросы:
1. What is the official name of the country?
2. What oceans is the country washed by?
3. What countries does Russia border on?
4. What is the territory of the country?
5. What is the capital of the Russian Federation?
II. Верно или неверно?
1. The official name of the country is the Russian Federation now.
2. On its northern and eastern sides Russia is bounded by the Arctic and Pacific oceans, and it has small frontages in the northwest on the Baltic Sea at St. Petersburg and at the detached Russian oblast (province) of Kaliningrad.
3. It ranks forth in the world in population, following China, India and the United States.
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4. On the south it borders on South Korea, China, Mongolia, Afganistan and the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
5. The capital of the Russian Federation is St. Petersburg, which was also the capital of the Soviet Union.
6. Its brooding landscapes and the complexities of the prerevolutionary society inspired the prose and music of such giants of world culture as A.Chekhov, A.Pushkin, L.Tolstoy and P.I.Tchaikovsky.
TEXT 2
Moscow - the capital of Russia.
Moscow, one of the beautiful and ancient cities of Russia, became our capital in March 1918. It is the centre of the political, economic and cultural life of the Russian Federation. The whole world knows Moscow as the seat of the RF Government, and as a city of great historical interest which contains many rare treasures.
Coming to the capital for the first time everybody goes at once to see Moscow’s Red Square and the Kremlin.
In the Kremlin the visitors see wonderful illustrations to the history of Russia between the 15th and 19th centuries. The most famous of the Kremlin’s 19 towers is the Spassky Tower over the Spassky Gate, with its great clock. The radio transmits its chimes to the whole world.
The appearance of the Moscow streets is like that of any other large modern city. The Moscow Underground is the most convenient transport system with a network of lines to every part of the city. There are numerous museums, cinemas, theatres and art exhibitions in Moscow.
Besides the famous Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, there are dozens of smaller stadiums in the capital where thousands of people strengthen their health, perfect their sportive skill. There are many sports societies in the capital such as Spartak, Dynamo, Torpedo, Burevestnik, Lokomotiv and many others whose members defend the sporting honour of this country here and abroad.
Wonderful sports palaces and clubs have appeared in our capital recently. There are hundreds of stadiums, ski bases, watersport stations, gymnasia, tennis, volleyball, basketball courts and fitness centres.
I. Ответьте на вопросы.
1. When did Moscow become our capital?
2. Where does everybody coming to the capital for the first time go to?
3. What do the visitors see in the Kremlin?
4. What is the most famous of the Kremlin’s 19 towers?
5. What does the world fairly well know?
6. Are there numerous museums, cinemas, theatres and art exhibitions in Moscow?
7. What sport societies are there in Moscow?
II. Вставьте слова и словосочетания.
Chimes, strengthen, most convenient, at once, art exhibitions
1. The Moscow Underground is the … transport system with a network of lines to every part of the city.
2. There are dozens of smaller stadiums in the capital where thousands of people … their health, perfect their sportive skill.
3. Coming to the capital for the first time everybody goes … to see Moscow’s Red Square and the Kremlin.
4. There are numerous museums, cinemas, theatres and … in Moscow.
5. The radio transmits its … to the whole world.
TEXT 3
Great Britain.
The official title of the country is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is composed of four parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast respectively. England, the southern and central part of the island, forms the main part of the country. Wales lies on the mountainous peninsula in the west. Scotland is in the northern part of the island. Its original inhabitants are of Celtic origin. In the past Scotland was an independent kingdom. Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom as an autonomous region with its own Parliament.
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Britain’s flag is called the “Union Jack”. It is really three flags on top of each other- the red cross on white of St George for England, the white “X” on blue of St Andrew for Scotland and the red “X” on white of St Patrick for Ireland.
London, the capital of Great Britain, is the largest city in Europe. The name “London” is of Celtic origin. The Romans called the place “Londinium”, and enclosed it in a wall, parts of which still remain. London may be said to have three distinct parts: the City, the West End, the East End and Westminster. They are very different from each other and seem to belong to different towns and epochs. The oldest part of London is the City with its narrow streets. It is the business and financial centre of the whole country. A lot of banks and offices are situated here.
The name “West End” is associated with the rich. Here are the finest theatres, cinemas and concert halls, the largest department stores, the most fashionable hotels. The East End is unattractive but very important to the country’s economy.
I. Ответьте на вопросы.
1. What is the official name of the country?
2. What parts is the United Kingdom composed of?
3. What can you say about Britain's flag?
4. There are four parts in London, aren’t there?
II. Закончите предложения как в тексте.
1. They are very different from each other…
2. It is really three flags on top of each other-…
3. Here are the finest theatres, cinemas…
4. The Romans called the place…
III. Верно или неверно?
1. The name “West End” is associated with the poor.
2. In the past Scotland was an independent kingdom.
3. London, the capital of Great Britain, is the largest city in Asia.
4. London may be said to have three distinct parts: the City, the West End, the East End and Westminster.
5. Wales, the southern and central part of the island, forms the main part of the country.
TEXT 4
The United States of America.
The United States of America is situated in the southern half of North America. It occupies a favourable geographical position being washed by two oceans and having various climate zones. Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean the USA borders upon Canada in the North and upon Mexico in the South. The USA is a federation of 50 states. The United States’ flag is called the “Stars and Stripes”. It has thirteen red and white stripes and fifty white stars on a blue square. One star is for each state of the United States now, and the stripes are for the first thirteen states of the union. Americans enjoy their flag. They use it as a popular design on shirts, shoes, hats-anywhere and everywhere in fact.
The USA is a sports-loving nation. Sports in America take a variety of forms: organised competitive struggles, athletic games played for recreation and fishing. Most sports are seasonal, some sports are commercial and professional.
Americans like both to engage in sports and to watch games being played. They are also fond of reading and talking about sports. Usually, several pages of the daily paper are devoted to discussing sport events, and games are carried on television and radio. Baseball is the most popular sport in the United States. Football is the most popular sport in the fall. It is still played by almost every college and university in the country. There are professional football teams in all major cities of the United States. Basketball is the winter sport in American schools and colleges. Other spectator sports include wrestling, boxing and horse racing.
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1. Ответьте на вопросы.
2. Where is the USA situated?
3. Which countries does the USA border upon?
4. What are forms of sports in America?
5. What kinds of sports are the most popular in America?
6. What can you say about the flag of the USA?
II. Расположите в логической последовательности:
1. There are professional football teams in all major cities of the United States.
2. Most sports are seasonal, some sports are commercial and professional.
3. The USA is a sports-loving nation.
4. Other spectator sports include wrestling, boxing and horse racing.
5. Baseball is the most popular sport in the United States.
III. Вставьте слова и словосочетания.
borders upon, union, everywhere, stripes, is situated, stars.
1. The United States of America … in the southern half of North America.
2. Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean the USA … Canada in the North and upon Mexico in the South.
3. It has thirteen red and white … and fifty white … on a blue square.
4. They use it as a popular design on shirts, shoes, hats-anywhere and … in fact.
5. The stripes are for the first thirteen states of the ….
TEXT 5
Sport in our life.
People all over the world are fond of sports and games. Sport makes people healthy, keeps them fit, more organized and better disciplined. Some people go in for sports for their health and some for professional aims.
There are many stadiums, sports grounds, swimming pools and football fields in each town. Practically all kinds of sports are popular in this country but football, figure skating and tennis enjoy the greatest popularity. A lot of people are fond of jogging. In the morning and in the evening we can see people jogging in the parks, stadiums and even in streets. In every school pupils spend much time doing sports. First of all they have their physical training lessons. And when school is over they may train at different sports clubs and sections in different kinds of sports. Professional sport is also paid much attention to in this country. Every four years the Olympic Games take place in different countries with the participation of Russian athletes.
There are Summer and Winter Olympic Games. This is a great sport competition of the best athletes in the world. The Olympic Games enjoy great popularity in Russia both with athletes and sports fans.
I. Ответьте на вопросы.
1. How does sport help people?
2. Are there any sports facilities in each town?
3. What is a great sport competition in the world?
1. Закончите предложения как в тексте.
2. In every school…
3. Professional sport…
4. Every four years…
5. In the morning…
TEXT 6
Sport in Great Britain.
Sport plays such a large part in British life that many idioms in the English language have come from the world of sport. For example “to play the game” means “to be fair” and “that’s not cricket” means “that’s not fair”.
The British are proud that many sports originated from there and then spread throughout the world. The national British sports are: football, golf, cricket, table tennis, lawn tennis, darts, racing.
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The most popular sport in Britain is football. A lot of people support their local clubs at matches on Saturday afternoons or watch the matches live on television.
Golf is Scotland’s chief contribution to British sport.
English people love cricket. Cricket is played in schools, colleges and universities, in most towns and villages. Test matches with other countries are held regularly.
Both men and women either in exclusive tennis clubs or on public tennis courts play tennis. People all over the world know Wimbledon as the centre of lawn tennis. The Wimbledon championship, in which the leading rackets of the world compete, is held annually in a southern suburb of London.
Englishmen like racing. There are all kinds of racing in England: horse-racing, motor-car racing, boat-racing, dog-racing, donkey-racing. The most famous boat –racing in England is between the Oxford and Cambridge. It is rowed over a course on the river Thames. Thousands of people go to watch it.
You see, all sports are very popular among British.
I. Answer the questions
1. Does sport play a large part in British life?
2. What is the most popular sport in Britain?
3. What is Scotland’s contribution to British sport?
II. True or False?
1. English people don’t love cricket.
2. Only women play tennis.
3. Englishmen like racing.
4. All sports are very popular among British.
TEXT 7
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