Іванова K.A. Сальнікава K.Г. The incomparable country of Belarus Вучэбна-метадычны дапаможнік Брэст 2003 ПРАДМОВА Вучэбна-метадычны дапаможнік складзены ў адпаведнасці Дадзены дапаможнік прызначаецца для студэнтаў першага кур- з адукацыйным стандартам цыкла сацыяльна-гуманітарных дыс- са гуманітарных факультэтаў дзённай формы навучання. цыплін і базавай праграмай па ангельскай мове; мае мэту раз- Дапаможнік уключае ў сябе сістэматызаваны па тэматычнаму віцця навыкаў вуснай мовы на аснове тэкстаў. прынцыпу тэкставы матэрыял. Тэксты ўзяты ў большасці з сайта Вучэбна-метадычны дапаможнік прызначаны для студэн- Virtual Guide To Belarus (http://www.belarusguide.com). таў гуманітарных факультэтаў дзённай формы навучання. Дапаможнік складаецца з пяці раздзелаў. У кожны раздзел ува- ходзяць тэксты з паследуючым комплексам разнастайных за- данняў для праверкі якасці засваення лексіка-граматычнага матэрыялу. Акрамя таго, у склад дапаможніка ўключаны праб- Рэцэнзент: дацэнт кафедры замежных моў БрТУ Новік Д. В. лемныя тэксты для анатавання і дадатковыя тэксты для самас- тойнага чытання, кароткі граматычны даведнік. Матэрыялы і практыкаванні дадзенага дапаможніка адпавя- Рэдактар: дацэнт кафедры замежных моў з методыкай вык- даюць праграмным патрабаванням. ладання БрДУ імя А.С. Пушкіна Дзмітрачкова Л.Я. Іванова К.А., Сальнікава К.Г. Беларусь мая непаўторная. Вучэбна-метадычны дапаможнік. Брэст, 2003. 128 с. © К.А. Іванова, К.Г. Сальнікава, 2003 © БАМГА «Сузор‘е», 2003 БЕЛАРУСЬ МАЯ НЕПАЎТОРНАЯ 4 БЕЛАРУСЬ МАЯ НЕПАЎТОРНАЯ 5 GENERAL FACTS ABOUT elevation. In the south there are vast tracts of sparsely inhabited swampland known as the Pripyat Marshes.The average height above BELARUS sea level is 160 metres. The highest point is Mount Dzerzhinskaya, in Dzerzhinsk district of Mensk region (345 metres above sea level) GEOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, and the lowest point is the Neman river valley in Hrodna region (80 to 90 metres above sea level). POPULATION, STATE SYSTEM Belarus enjoys a temperate climate, with an average annual pre- he Republic of Belarus lies in the centre of Europe, on the cipitation of 644 millimetres. The average temperature in January Twatershed between the Baltic sea and the Black Sea. It occu- fluctuates from -4,4C in the south-west to -8C in the north-east, in pies an area of 208 square kilometres, or approximately 2% of the July – from +17C in the north to +18,8C in the south. area of Europe. This makes it much larger than such countries as Belarus has widespread river network. There are more than 20,000 Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Denmark, Portugal, rivers in the Republic, with a combined length of 91,000 kilometres. Czech Republic or Slovakia. The capital and the largest city of Be- Fifty-three percent of this length is from small rivers (up to 10 kilo- larus is Mensk. metres ). Only five are longer than 450 kilometres: the rivers of the Belarus shares its border with five states: the Russian Federation, Black Sea basin which consists of the Dnieper (690 kilometres) and the Ukraine, Po- its tributaries the Berezina (613 kilometres), the Pripyat (495 kilome- land, Lithuania and tres) and the Sozh (493 kilometres); and the Neman river of the Bal- Latvia. The fron- tic Sea basin (459 kilometres). The river waters are used by industry tiers lie mostly in and for drinking. flat country, which Many of the Republic’s 11,000 lakes are situated in Vitsyebsk re- has encouraged gion and the north-western part of Mensk region. The largest is Lake the creation of wa- Naroch, in the northern area of the Republic in Myadel district of ter and land com- Mensk region, with an area of 80 square kilometres and a depth of munication and the 25 metres. Lake Dolgoye, in the south-west of Vitsyebsk region, is development of small (2.6 square kilometres), but is the deepest lake in Belarus. strong economic Fresh underground waters are the main source of drinking water relations with supply. There are mineral water springs in various places of Belarus neighbouring and most of them are believed to have curative effects. states. Forests cover approximately 36% of the territory (8.7 million hect- Belarus is a low- ares) of which two thirds are coniferous. Pine, fir, and birch predom- lying plain, with inate in the north, and oak, elm, and white beech are prevalent in hilly uplands that the south. Forests are important for the timber industry and for the seldom exceed prevention of soil erosion. They are also rich in mushrooms, berries 300 m (1,000 ft) in and medical herbs and are inhabited by various wild animals and БЕЛАРУСЬ МАЯ НЕПАЎТОРНАЯ 6 БЕЛАРУСЬ МАЯ НЕПАЎТОРНАЯ 7 birds. The most The Belarusians, who speak a Slavonic language closely related to widespread ani- Russian and Ukrainian, comprise more than three-quarters of the mals are roes, total population which was estimated at 9,899,000 in 2003. Life squirrels, elks, expectancy in 1999 was 68 years. The Russians are the largest wild bears, wolves minority with 11.2 percent of the population. Other minorities include and foxes. the Ukrainians, Jews, Polish, and Lithuanians. Orthodox Christianity Nature reserves is the predominant religion among the Belarusians, although Roman and national parks Catholicism is also widely practised, especially in the western parts have been estab- of the country. Life expectancy, infant mortality, and other health- lished to preserve related statistics have been generally positive, although fall out from and study the re- the Chernobyl accident in the Ukraine in 1986 has clearly jeopardized public’s flora and Belarus’ high position in health statistics. fauna. The largest The population of Belarus was devastated by World War II. It took Белавежскія зубры are Belavezhs- 25 years for the numbers to return to prewar levels. After World War kaya Pushcha National Nature Park (87,600 hectares) which con- II Belarus that was traditionally an agrarian society underwent rapid tains up to 300 species of animals, and three state reserves: Biarez- urbanization. The proportion of urban dwellers more than doubled inski Biosphere reserve (90,600 hectares), Pripyatski Landscape- from 1959 to 1989, from 31 per cent to 65 per cent. Mensk, the cap- hydrological Reserve (65.100 hectares) and Paleski ital and largest city, grew rapidly, with an estimated population of Radiation-ecological Reserve (215,500 hectares). 1,728,900 in 2002. The Republic of Belarus is a unitary democratic social legal state. The basic law is Constitution 1994 (with variations and additions, accepted on the referendum on 24.11.1996). The chief of the state - EXERCISES: is the President elected by the population for 5 years. Representa- I. Fill in the blanks with the words and phrases used tive and legislative body - National Assembly composed of the House in the text. of Representatives (110 deputies are elected by the population) and Council of the Republic (64 members, 56 of which are elected by 1. The Republic of Belarus lies … of Europe, …between the Baltic domestic Councils of the deputies, 8 from each area and Mensk, 8 Sea and the Black Sea. are appointed by the president). A term of the authorities of National 2. Belarus is …plain. Assembly - 4 years. 3. Belarus shares its border … 4. In the south there are …known as the Prypiat Marshes. The executive authority belongs to the Government - Ministerial 5. Belarus enjoys … climate. Council headed by the Prime Minister appointed by the President 6. There are … rivers in the Republic. with the consent of the House of Representatives. The supreme judi- 7. The river waters are used by … and … cial organ is Supreme Court. The control for constitutionality of the 8. Fresh underground waters are the main source of … normative statements is realized by the Constitutional Court. 9. There are …in various places of Belarus. БЕЛАРУСЬ МАЯ НЕПАЎТОРНАЯ 8 БЕЛАРУСЬ МАЯ НЕПАЎТОРНАЯ 9 10. Most of mineral water springs are believed … NATIONAL SYMBOLS 11. Forests are important for … 12. Forests are rich in … and are inhabited by … Pre-reading task. 13. The Belarusians comprise … Do you know 14. The population of Belarus … by World War II. - What are the national symbols of our country? 15. The Republic of Belarus is … state. - How does the national flag look like? - What is the national emblem? 16. The chief of the state is … II. Insert it or there. he traditional na- Ttional emblem of 1. … occupies an area of 208 square kilometres. Belarus - «Pahonia» 2. … is larger than some European countries. («The Chase») - has 3. … are vast tracts of sparsely inhabited swampland. many centuries of history. 4. … are more than 20,000 rivers in the republic. It appeared in written doc- 5. … is Lake Naroch that is the largest. uments beginning from 6. … are mineral water springs in various places of Belarus. the late 13th century. Ac- 7. The largest is Belavezhskaya Pushcha National Nature Park. cording to some sources …. contains up to 300 species of animals. this symbol was first used 8. … are a lot of mushrooms, berries, medical herbs and various by Grand Lithuanian Duke wild animals and birds. Trajdzien (ruled from 1270 to III. Retell the text according to the given plan. The 1284). Some other documents words in brackets will help you. ascribe it to Grand Duke Vicen (ruled from 1294 to 1316). (The a) Location (lies, shares its border, a plain, in the south, the highest Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Belaru- sian state of point); the Middle Ages.) The Pahonia is shown in the central position on b) climate (the average temperature, river network, 53 percent, the seal of the Grand Duke Vitaut dating from 1407 and appeared on industry, lakes, underground waters, nature reserves and national the covers of the «Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania» pub- parks); c) population (The Belarusians, three quarters, minority, urban dwellers); lished in Old Belarusian in 1529, 1566 and 1588.