Lesson II My native town

1. Read and translate the text:

Astrakhan

I’m a native resident of Astrakhan. I was born here and have been living here. So Astrakhan is my native town and I’d like to tell something about it. I’ve visited some other towns and cities but I’ve never been there more than a month. Astrakhan attracts me no matter what interesting places I was in.

Astrakhan is situated on the Volga River near the Caspian Sea. It emerged hundreds years ago on 12 islands at the place where the Great Russian River joins the Caspian Sea. The history of our town dates back to the 13-th century when a small settlement appeared on the banks of the river Volga.

Astrakhan was founded in 1558 but it does not mean that there were no towns on the territory of modern Astrakhan Region. Since old times there have been different settlements of nomadic tribes. There was a state of Khazars, with the capital Itil. At about 140 km from modern Astrakhan there was an ancient capital of the Golden Hords – Sarai–batu – that of the great and powerful empire of tatar – mongols. Great battles were on this territory among Slavs, Pechenegs, Khazars and Polovets.

But the history of the present Astrakhan began only in the 16-th century. It is closely connected with the history of our Kremlin. It was built in 1552 and this data is considered to be the beginning of our town history, which is very rich. Stepan Rasin, Yemelyan Pugachev, Ivan Bolotnikov visited our town during the peasants’ uprisings. The history of the town is closely connected with such famous names as Tatischev, Alexsander Dumas, Taras Shevchenko, Anton Chekhov, Alexsander Suvorov, Nikolai Chernyshevsky, Peter the Great, Alexsander I.

The left bank of the river was chosen then for the Krtemlin and centre of the town because it was the most suitable place for the fortress where Astrakhan was at that time. The place was named Hare’s Island. Here the Kremlin is situated.

At present Astrakhan region covers 44.1 thousand square kilometers. Since old times the town has absorbed many types of architecture. The largest part of the town centre belongs to the end of the XIX-th and the beginning of the XX-th century. As our town was situated in the crossroads of the trade ways there appeared many foreign residents influencing much its architecture. Now lots of modern buildings exist in the centre of the town.

There is 1 mln. people living here. If you look at the map you can see that Astrakhan region has common borders with Kazakhstan, Kalmyk Republic and Volgograd region. Our region is situated near the Caucasus and we have a sea border with Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Iran, Turkmenia. That’s why people of different nationalities (163) inhabit our region.

Frankly speaking, Astrakhan was not highly developed industrial city untill recently. Of course, there were some large factories and plants but the natural resources of the region were not widely used then. Today Astrakhan is the centre of highly developed gas – processing, light and fish industry. The town is still famous for its fisheries. Farmers still grow water-melons, cabbage, red beet, tomatoes, rice that are considered among the best in the country. That’s why the town is sometimes called “the country’s vegetable garden”. The region exports tomatoes, water-melons, fish and fish products, sturgeon and black caviar in particular, and it gives the town pride and fame. Besides Astrakhan is an important river and sea port. It is the centre of ship-building which is rooted deep in the past. Speaking about industry in Astrakhan we can’t but mention about the environmental situation here. Work of the Pulp-and- Paper Plant, processing of sulphur at the Gas-Processing Complex doesn’t add positive effect to the surrounding medium. Strict measures must be taken to prevent cripling effect of the results of these productions.

Some very important problems in this situation concerning health protection arise in our region, as well as the problems of water purity, soil protection and air polluting.

Astrakhan is connected with other regions of the country and some foreign countries by trains, airplanes and steamers. Our airport is of international status. Town’s internal means of transportation are trams, buses, trolley-buses and taxi service.

Well, to continue, our town is an educational centre of our Region. There are some higher educational establishments here. They are State University, Technical University of Fishing Industry and Economy, Medical State Academy, Conservatoire, Engineer Building Institute and some higher educational establishments. There are a lot of secondary schools, sport schools, gymnastics and water polo are among them. By this we have Astrakhan State Reservation located in the Volga Delta where wide scientific-research work is being carried out, concerning many birds and rare plants, lotus included. It is a rare flower which can be found only here and that’s why “Lotus and Fish” is the emblem of our town.

The cultural life of our town is rich and many-aspected. Moscow is not the only city to boast of Kremlin (built 1552). There are a lot of interesting collections in the Kremlin and many tourists come to see them. Nowaday it has become a great church again.

Some other museums play a significant role in life of any nation. One can learn many interesting facts in our museums about history, traditions and customs of different people. There one can also find documents, photographs, books, works of art and other things. These museums are: Museum of Local Lore, Museum of Military Glory, Museum of Chernyshevsky, Picture Gallery named after Kustodiyev, Museum of Customs and Traditions of old Astrakhan.

Books play a great role in our life. Reading makes a man clever and wise. Many people have good libraries at home. Besides there are many libraries of all kinds in our town. Children’s library, Library named after Krupskaya are among them.

Recreation is not a big affair in our town. It includes concerts, theatre, swimming in summer, fishing all year round, hunting in spring, autumn, and winter: different sport competitions are popular among our people. As for the theatres we can’t but mention Drama Theatre, Theatre of Young Spectator, Summer Touring Theatre, Musical Comedy Theatre, Puppet Theatre, Tatar National Theatre, Theatre-Studio “White Town”. Speaking about our Drama Theatre we have to stress that it is the oldest one where a lot of famous actors and actresses, including Shalyapin, Barsova, Maxakova, Milashkina and others, performed. Its building itself is very beautiful.

We are proud of our cinema “October” with its hall of exotic trees.

As the climate in our region is continental and summer is extremely hot, people like to bath in the sun on our sand beach on both banks of the Volga. Very often we go to the Swan Lake and feed swans sailing there.

I’m found of my town though it is not so rich and clean as some other towns and cities, but it is my native town, and I don’t want to change it to lose my friends.

2. Find in the text English equivalents for:

житель, привлекать, располагаться, возникать, поселение, появляться, означать, кочевые племена, государство, столица, древний, мощный, империя, сражение, быть связанным, крестьянские восстания, крепость, впитывать, принадлежать, перекресток, торговый, существовать, общая граница, населять, считать(ся), гордость, слава, кораблестроение, окружающая среда, предотвращать, строгий, защита, научно-исследовательский, разнообразный, обычай, мудрый, кормить.

3. Translate these English equivalents into Russian:

no matter, to date back, the most suitable place, thousand square km, sea border, frankly speaking, until recently, natural resources, highly developed gas-processing, light and fish industry, fisheries, water-melons, cabbage, red beet, tomatoes, rice, the country’s vegetable garden, sturgeon, black caviar, in particular, to be rooted deep, speaking about, can’t but mention, Pulp-and-Paper Plant, processing of sulphur, Gas-Processing Complex, positive effect, crippling effect, water purity, soil protection, air polluting, that’s why, Museum of Local Lore, Museum of Military Glory.

4. Answer the questions to the text:

1. What river is Astrakhan situated on?

2. How old is Astrakhan?

3. How do you think, why the territory of modern Astrakhan Region was so popular for different settlements of nomadic tribes in ancient times?

4. Whose names did the history of Astrakhan connect with and what was the reason of their visits to Astrakhan?

5. Why was the left bank of the Volga River chosen for the Kremlin?

6. Examples of architecture of which countries are there in the centre of Astrakhan?

7. Which countries does Astrakhan have common bodies with?

8. What is Astrakhan famous for?

9. What does influent the environmental situation in Astrakhan? What must be taken to keep nature here?

10. What do you know about educational institutions in our region?

11. Why is “Lotus and Fish” the emblem of our town?

12. What places of interest in Astrakhan do you know?

13. What places could you offer for tourists to have a rest in?

14. What theatres and museums are your favourite and why?

5. Agree or disagree. Prove your statesment:

1) Astrakhan emerged thousands years ago on 11 islands at the place where a spring joined the Great Russian River.

2) Astrakhan was founded in 1558 and there were no any settlements originally there.

3) The history of modern Astrakhan is closely connected with nomadic tribes.

4) The right bank of the Volga River was chosen for the Kremlin because there were a lot of hares there and this place was named Hare’s Island.

5) So as our town was situated in the crossroads of the peasants’ uprising the great construction developed there.

6) Today Astrakhan is the centre of gas-processing, light and fish industry.

7) The town is sometimes called “the country’s vegetable garden” because it imports watermelons, tomatoes and cabbage.

8) Work of the Pulp-and-Paper Plant, processing of sulphur at the Gas-Processing Complex adds negative effect to the environmental situation there.

9) “Lotus and Fish” is the emblem of our town because wide scientific-research work is being carried out in Astrakhan State Reservation.

10) There are a lot of museums in Astrakhan where we can listen to Shalyapin, Barsova, Maxakova and Milashkina.

11) Our Drama Theatre is the oldest one with its hall of exotic trees.

12) We often go to the “Swan Lake“where a lot of famous actors and actresses performed.

6. Divide the text about Astrakhan into some logical parts give the title to each of them and speak briefly the main information about your native town according your plan.

7. Listen to the text about Astrakhan Kremlin and be ready to fulfil some tasks.

Key-words to the text:

military военный

hectare гектар

peculiar особенный, своеобразный

defence защита

row ряд

loop-hole бойница

cannon пушка

defencer защитник

cloister монастырь

chamber палата

serf-peasant крепостной крестьянин

dome купол

outward mounting внешнее оформление

sentence приговор

refectory трапезная

to put to torture подвергать пытке

bishop епископ

announce провозглашать

tower башня

cathedral собор

church церковь

1) Complete the sentences:

- The Astrakhan Kremlin was built in …

- It is a wonderful example of Russian architecture and …

- The Kremlin walls are between … metres high.

- They were used for …

- The walls have …

- Uspenski cathedral was built in … by …

- This cathedral has … with the features of …

- “Lobnoye mesto” was used for …

- Thoitski Cathedral consists of …

- People were put to torture in one of the Kremlin Towers …

2) Can you have a little more information about the Astrakhan Kremlin?

3) Read the text about the Kremlin in Moscow and then be ready to correct the following sentences if they are not right:

- Moscow Kremlin is an example of military engineering art of the end of 16c.

- Astrakhan Kremlin was originally built as a wooden fort.

• In 16c. the walls of white stone of Moscow Kremlin were replaced by gilt silver.

• There were three rows of cannon loop-holes for outward mounting of Astrakhan Kremlin.

- Serf-peasant Dorofei Myakishev built Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 16c.

• The so-called “Lobnoye mesto” was the burial place of the Russian Princes and Tzars.

- Troitski Cathedral consists of three churches: a Tzar-Bell, a Tzar-Connon and Faceted Palace.

- Five gold domes, two refectory chambers and apprentices of A. Rublev are exhibited in the Armoury Chamber.