книги / The World Around Me

spark – искра smell – запах sulfur – сера

tо еscаре – yлeтучивaться

In 1979 Europe's most active volcano gave an exciting show. Red hot lava, rocks and flames came out of Mount Etna. There were sparks of light and loud bangs. They surprised everybody, even the experts who study the volcano.

Mount Etna is in Eastern Sicily. The land around the volcano was covered in ash. There was a strong smell of sulfur in the air. The farmers who live near Mount Etna were afraid. Fortunately the lava stopped and became hard before it reached a nearby village, but it only stopped a few meters away from the village. Some experts knew that there was still a lot of gas in the volcano. They wanted to bomb it to let the gas escape. But then it was decided to do nothing. And the danger passed.

Tourists from all over the world came to see the volcano; they liked the excitement and the danger. But people who live near Mount Etna were glad when the show was over!

COMPREHENSION TEST

Choose the correct variant:

1.In 1979 Europe's ... volcano gave an exciting show.

a)largest

b)most active

c)most beautiful

2.Mount Etna's activity ... .

a)was expected

b)was prevented

c)surprised everybody

3.The land around the volcano was covered in ... .

a)lava

b)ash

c)rock

4.The lava ... .

a)killed the farmers

b)stopped before it reached a nearby village

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c)hardened at once

5.Some experts wanted ... .

a)to bomb the volcano

b)to study its eruption

c)to use its force for peaceful purposes

TEXT 23

START WITH THE YOUNG

Memorize the words:

would be scientist – будущий ученый unconventional – необычный

tо gain admission – поступить (добиться приема) competitor – конкурент, соперник

the last try – последняя попытка

to be similar to – напоминать, быть схожим instructor – преподаватель

Science begins with man. Its level depends largely on the ideas that are born in mind.

Would be scientists are trained by unconventional methods in Novosibirsk. A special physics and mathematics school is attached to Novosibirsk University. There are three such schools in Russia: in Moscow, Novosibirsk and Leningrad. Young talents must pass three tests to gain admission to them, these tests are held at three levels: first at town or village level, secondary at regional or republican level and at last at national level. Competitors are tested in three basic subjects – physics, mathematics and chemistry. 15,000 youngsters enter the first round, 5,000 remain for the second while their number decreases to 600 for the last try.

Methods of instruction are similar to those applied at higher school. The academic year is divided into 2 terms, pupils take university-type examinations, attend lectures, seminars and colloquiums, do lab work. Classes are held five days a week. Thursday is library day. Lectures at the school are delivered by the most qualified instructors. The school does not lose touch with its graduates. They become students of Novosibirsk University. After graduating most of them stay in Siberia.

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swimming pool – плавательный бассейн

Moscow State University was founded in 1755. Firstly it included only 3 faculties: faculty of Law and psychological and medical faculties. Now it contains 9 research institutes, 40 faculties, more than 300 chairs. Now it has at its disposal more than 600 buildings and structures. The main building of Moscow State University in Lenin (Vorobjovi) hills was built in 1949 – 1953. The University campus covers an area of about 200 hectares, and includes some forty teaching blocks and research facilities. There are also Botanical gardens, a sports stadium, and a big park. The architects of the main building, the centre of the architectural ensemble, were Lev Rudnev, Sergei Chernyshev and Pavel Abrosimov. The 32storey main tower is more than 380 meters high.

The buildings contain a fine great hall seating 1,500, a student club, 19 lecture theaters and 140 lecture-rooms, dozens of teaching and research laboratories, a Museum of the Earth Sciences, a large library, hostels, a swimming pool, and sports facilities.

Today Moscow State University’s departments have more than 31 thousand students and about 7 thousand post-graduate students from Russia and many other countries. The university is one of the oldest universities of Russia, a leading research educational and cultural centre of Moscow.

COMPREHENTION TEST

I. Answer the following questions:

1.When was Moscow State University founded?

2.What where its first faculties?

3.How many chairs and faculties does it contain?

4.What event took place in 1949 – 1953?

5.What is the territory of the University campus?

6.How high is the 32-storey main tower of the University?

7.What facilities do the buildings of the campus contain?

8.How many students and post-graduate students study at the Uni-

versity?

TEXT 25

THE SPACE OBELISK AND THE TV TOWER

Memorize the words: shaft – колонна

to commemorate –служить напоминанием, отмечать (событие)

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frame – каркас

The Space Obelisk is a silvery 96 m high shaft. It was designed by engineers M. Barshch and A. Kolchin, and sculptor A. FaidyshKrandiyevsky to commemorate the progress of the people of our country in conquering outer space. It was unveiled in 1964. The main shaft consists of a steel frame faced with sheets of polished titanium. On both sides of its granite base are sculptures depicting the people who made the first manned space flight possible and those who today are continuing exploration of outer space.

In 1967 a new Moscow sight rose in Ostankino, the concrete TV Tower, one of the world's tallest structures, 533 meters high and 50 meters in diameter at the base. At the 337 m level there is an observation platform to which visitors are taken by 4 fast lifts.

Near the TV Tower is the huge Television centre with studios, a concert hall and offices.

COMPREHENSION TEST

Choose the correct variant:

1.The Space Obelisk is a … 96 m high shaft.

a)silvery

b)copper

c)steel

2.It was unveiled in … to commemorate the progress of the people of our country in conquering outer space.

a)1964

b)1975

3. The concrete TV Tower, one of the world's tallest structures, rose in Ostankino in … .

a)1967

b)1989

TEXT 26

THE PANORAMA MUSEUM OF THE BATTLE OF BORODINO

Memorize the words: cannon – пушка

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wing – крыло

In Moscow near the Triumphal Arch there is a monument to the Patriotic War of 1812 – the Panorama Museum of the Battle of Borodino. It is a large cylindrical building of glass and aluminum, designed by a group of architects headed by Alexander Korabelnikov, and erected in 1962. The building is more than 40 m in diameter. Along its walls there are 66 cannons captured from Napoleon's army during the Battle of Borodino. The facades of the wings are decorated with colored mosaics.

In the museum there is a remarkable panoramic painting of the Battle of Borodino by the Russian artist Franz Rubo. It is 115 m long.

Visitors see the panorama from an observation platform 6 m high. Between them and the painting is a relief reconstruction of the battle field 12 m wide, which gives them the impression of being in the midst of the battle that took place on August 26, 1812.

In the courtyard of the museum there is an obelisk marking the common grave of 300 officers and men of the Russian army, heroes of the 1812 Patriotic War.

COMPREHENSION TEST

Choose the correct variant:

1. In Moscow near the Triumphal Arch there is a monument to … .

a)the Patriotic War of 1812 – the Panorama Museum of the Battle of Borodino

b)the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945

2.Visitors see the panorama from … . a) an observation platform 6 m high b) a tower 10 m high

3.In the courtyard of the museum there is an obelisk marking the common grave of 300 officers and men of the Russian army … .

a) heroes of the 1812 Patriotic War

b) heroes of the Crimean War of 1853–1856

TEXT 27

THE OCTOBER CINEMA

Memorize the words: particularly – особенно

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floodlight – прожектор transparency – прозрачность to glow – сверкать

The October cinema was built in 1967 and reconstructed in 2005. Now it has 11 auditoriums and seats 3,000. Its facade is decorated by a mosaic, made of natural stones. The 2,000 square m of the mosaic cover the whole of the facade above the ground floor. The building is particularly attractive at night, when the combination of interior lighting and floodlighting creates an impression of transparency, and the cinema seems to glow. Nowadays it can be used not only for showing fiction films, documentaries, etc., but for conducting festivals. The foyer can be converted into a large hall for dances, banquets, exhibitions and concerts.

COMPREHENSION TEST

Choose the correct variant:

1.The October cinema was reconstructed in … .

a)2005

b)2009

2.Now it has … .

a)11 auditoriums

b)2 auditoriums

3.The building is particularly attractive … .

a)at night

b)in the daytime

4.It can be used … .

a)only for showing fiction films

b)only for conducting festivals

c)for showing films and for conducting festivals

TEXT 28

THE LUZHNIKI STADIUM

Memorize the words: bowl – чаша grandstand – трибуна

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premises – помещения

The Luzhniki Stadium, a green park with dozens of sports facilities, was built in 15 months. The big bowl in the centre is the Large Sports Arena, seating 103,000 fans for football matches and athletics meetings. Under the grandstands there are about 1,000 premises – changing rooms, rooms for training and warming up, a hotel, 2 cinemas, a restaurant, cafes, and a unique Physical Training and Sports Museum.

To the right of the stadium there is the Swimming Pool, to the left is the small Sports Arena which seats some 15,000. Further to the left is the Palace of Sports, Moscow's largest indoor stadium which can seat to 17,000 spectators.

The Stadium is regularly used for international football matches and championships in every sport in the Olympic calendar. The Olympic Games of 1980 were held here. An immense Olympic village was specially built nearby – in the South -West in the Region of Vernadsky Prospect.

COMPREHENSION TEST

Choose the correct variant:

1.The Luzhniki Stadium, a green park with dozens of sports facilities, was built in … .

a)15 months

b)a year

2.TheLargeSportsArenaseats…forfootballmatchesandathleticsmeetings.

a)103,000 fans

b)1000 fans

3.The Swimming Pool is to … .

a)the left of the small Sports Arena

b)the left of the Palace of Sports

4.The Palace of Sports can seat … .

a)to 17,000 spectators

b)a lot of people

5.The immense Olympic village was specially built … .

a)in 1995

b)in 1980

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route – маршрут

terminal – конечный пункт reliable – надежный

to keep in mind – помнить

Electronic clocks are installed in many streets of Moscow.

The "grandfathers" of present-day electronic street clocks appeared in Moscow in 1912. At that time they were installed only at the exits of tram depots and at the tram terminals. They were mainly used by tram drivers. Such clocks could be seen along the city transport routes until the end of the 1950s. Today there are more than 300 street clocks in Moscow and all of them show the correct time.

They are very large and so that they can be seen from afar. Many Muscovites check their time by these clocks because they are accurate and reliable. Their mechanisms are very good. The designers have kept in mind how cold Moscow winters can be, how hot Moscow summers can be, and how often there are rainfalls in Moscow.

COMPREHENSION TEST

Choose the correct variant:

1. ... clocks are installed in the streets of Moscow.

a)atomic

b)electric

c)talking

2.Until the end of the 1950s such clocks could be seen ... .

a)in the centre of Moscow

b)in factories

c)along the city transport routes

3.These clocks are ... .

a)accurate and reliable

b)bad

c)often wrong

4.The designers have kept in mind ... .

a)temperature changes only

b)Moscow's weather

c)different kinds of climate

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